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diff --git a/25075.txt b/25075.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b64b5a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/25075.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2959 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Letter from Major Robert Carmichael-Smyth +to His Friend, the Author of 'The Clockmaker', by Robert Carmichael-Smyth + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Letter from Major Robert Carmichael-Smyth to His Friend, the Author of 'The Clockmaker' + +Author: Robert Carmichael-Smyth + +Release Date: April 15, 2008 [EBook #25075] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBERT CARMICHAEL-SMYTH *** + + + + +Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, The Philatelic Digital +Library Project at http://www.tpdlp.net, Anne Storer and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned +images of public domain material from the Google Print +project.) + + + + + + +[Illustration: Map of the North Atlantic Ocean] + + + A LETTER + FROM + MAJOR ROBERT CARMICHAEL-SMYTH + TO + HIS FRIEND + THE AUTHOR OF "THE CLOCKMAKER," + + CONTAINING + Thoughts on the Subject + OF + A BRITISH COLONIAL + RAILWAY COMMUNICATION + BETWEEN + THE ATLANTIC AND THE PACIFIC, + FROM + THE MAGNIFICENT HARBOUR OF HALIFAX, + IN + NOVA SCOTIA + (NORTH-EASTERN AMERICA), + TO + THE MOUTH OF FRAZER'S RIVER, + IN + NEW CALEDONIA + (NORTH-WESTERN AMERICA), + OR SUCH OTHER PORT AS MAY BE DETERMINED UPON. + + * * * + +"Let those, who discard speculations like these as wild and improbable, +recur to the state of public opinion at no very remote period on the +subject of Steam Navigation. + +"Within the memory of persons not yet past the meridian of life the +impossibility of traversing by Steam Engine the channels and seas that +surround and intersect these islands was regarded as the dream of +enthusiasts." + + DR. LARDNER, 1840. + + * * * + + LONDON: + W. P. METCHIM, 20, PARLIAMENT STREET. + + 1849. + + + * * * * * + + + + +PREFACE. + + +"It is the duty--the imperative duty--of every individual (however +humble) to express conscientiously, but calmly, his public opinions, for +by such means truth is elicited."[1] Hence it may be permitted the +writer of the annexed Letter to observe, that a momentous question is +now brought to the notice of the people of Great Britain,--that it ought +not to be neglected, until perhaps a voice from her colonial children +may go forth proclaiming "it is too late,"[see Note 64]--for then the +opportunity of uniting in firm and friendly bonds of union "this +wondrous empire on which the solar orb never sets" will have passed away +for ever. + + ----"Dum loquimur fugerit invida + AEtas: carpe diem quam minimum credula postero." + + * * * + + [1] Montgomery Martin's History of the British Colonies, 1843; + and to that work the writer of the following pages begs to refer all + those who take an interest in the British North American Colonies. And + if so humble an individual might be allowed to offer his advice, he + would strongly recommend the republication, in a volume by itself, of + the part connected with the North American Colonies. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + + "I shall tell you + A pretty tale; it may be, you have heard it; + But, since it serves my purpose, I will venture + To scale't again." + + +"The duty of Government is first to regulate the stream of Emigration, +so that if a man be determined on leaving the United Kingdom he may +settle in one of its Colonies."--_Montgomery Martin, 1843._ + +"At this moment, when renewed attention is turned to all the Routes +which, during ages past, have from time to time been talked about, as +best fitted for a link of communication between the Atlantic and Pacific +Oceans,"--we call upon the people of Great Britain and her Government to +reflect, that--the best and shortest link of communication--the great +link required to unite all her dominions in one powerful chain--is now +in her own possession,--that--"it _is_ in vain to inculcate feelings of +brotherhood among mankind by moral influence alone; a sense of community +of interest _must_ be also established,"--that Great Britain can, in the +opening of the Route proposed, at the same time employ her own Children +at home and abroad, as well as her own continually increasing Capital. + +That--"we have superabundance of Capital--a plethora of +Talent--Scientific and Commercial--they only want an outlet to be +beneficially employed."--_Morning Herald, 7th February, 1849._ + +That--"the Expansion of Capital would soon reach its ultimate boundary, +if that boundary itself did not continually increase." + +That--"what the Legislature should desire and promote is not a greater +saving, but a greater return to savings, either by improved cultivation, +or by access to more fertile lands in other quarters of the globe." + +That--"the Railway operations of the various nations of the world may be +looked upon as a sort of competition for the overflowing Capital of the +countries where Profits are low and Capital abundant."--_J. S. Mill, +Polit. Econ._ + +That--"each nation derives greater benefit from having an increasing +market in one of its own provinces, than in a foreign country." + +That--"the possession of remote territories, is the only thing which can +secure to the population of a country those advantages derived from an +easy outlet, or prospect of outlet, to those persons who may be ill +provided for at home."--_Lord Brougham._ + +That--"we have an immense Colonial Empire. To its resources and +exigencies we now seem for the first time to awaken.[see Note 46] +Hitherto we have been content to consider it as a magnificent +incumbrance, that testified to our greatness but had nothing to do +with our interests or the welfare of our population."--_The Times, +20th January, 1849._ + +And that--"it must be acknowledged as a principle, that the Colonies of +England are an integral part of this country."--_D'Israeli._ + + * * * + +Again--"In certain parts of the Empire transportation was a very +valuable punishment, but there ought to be natural limits to it. +Transportation was very well in the infancy of a Colony, but as it +became more peopled and civilized, it was undesirable to deluge it +with a convict population. The subject of abolishing the penalty of +transportation was one of very great importance."--_Lord Brougham, +1849._ + + "But what mean I + To speak so true at first? My office is + To noise abroad.... + I have the letter here; yes, here it is:" + + + + + +"The time has come when the great American and Colonial route of +travelling must commence at Halifax."[2]--_Great Western Letter Bag._ +Yes! and be carried on to Frazer's River.[3] + + [2] Nova Scotia. + + [3] New Caledonia. + + + * * * * * + + + + + TO MY WORTHY AND MUCH ESTEEMED FRIEND, + THE AUTHOR OF "THE CLOCKMAKER." + +MY DEAR FRIEND, + +Often have I looked back to the pleasant hours we passed on board the +good brig Tyrian, when, in the spring of 1838, we were quietly floating +over the waves of the broad Atlantic.[see Note 1] Never do I remember to +have crossed them so smoothly, and never certainly with more agreeable +companions. One of our party has long since departed for that country +from whose bourn no traveller returns. Poor Fairbanks! you knew him well +and valued his friendship--knew him to be a kind and a good man, and +that he loved his country well. Had he been as anxious to introduce +Railways into it as he was zealous about his Shubenacadie Canal, he +might perhaps have served it more effectually.[see Notes 2 and 37] +Another of our party, a true and hearty lover of his country, is still +amongst you; may his powerful mind so direct his great abilities as to +enable him to use them for his country's good; for much may yet be done +for Nova Scotia. Both he and you, I know well, have a friendly feeling +towards me, and you may perhaps have sometimes regretted, though not so +warmly as I have done (living as you both have been for years in the +midst of political excitement), that we have been so completely +separated. With this short preface, as an excuse for introducing your +names, I will now proceed, by recalling that moment so full of +excitement at the time and never to be forgotten,--when, to our +astonishment, we first saw the great ship Syrius steaming down directly +in the wake of the Tyrian. She was the first steamer, I believe, that +ever crossed the Atlantic for New York, and was then on her way back to +England. You will, I dare say, recollect the prompt decision of +Commander Jennings to carry his mail bags on board the steamer, and our +equally prompt decision not to quit our sailing craft, commanded as she +was by so kind and so excellent an officer. You will, I dare say, +recollect how soon flew the question through the captain's trumpet, +"Will you take charge of the mail?" "Yes, but be quick;" and the +trembling anxiety with which we watched mail bag after mail bag hoisted +up the deep waist of the Tyrian; then lowered into the small boat +below,--tossed about between the vessels, and finally all safely placed +on board the Syrius. It was a bold measure; for had one mail bag been +lost, our gallant commander would in all probability have been severely +censured, if it had not cost him his commission: as it was, I believe, +he received the thanks of the Admiralty. You will also, no doubt, +remember well the lively discussion the sight of this great steam ship +caused amongst us, and how earnestly I expressed my wish, that the +people of Halifax should bestir themselves, and not allow, without a +struggle, British mails and British passengers thus to be taken past +their very doors.[see Note 3] And now that we have lived to see +established what we then discussed (and about which the pen of the +Clockmaker's companion was not idle),[see Note 4] the great steam ship +road from and to Liverpool and Halifax, you will not perhaps be +astonished that (like the fly on the wheel) so humble an individual as +your old fellow passenger should have fancied when steaming (as he has +since often done) over the waves of that same Atlantic, that he too[see +Note 5] had had something to say in creating all the smoke he saw rising +before him. Of one thing, however, he is certain--that his companions, +Fairbanks, Howe and Haliburton (no insignificant names), had determined, +before leaving the Tyrian, that as soon as they reached London they +would wait upon the Colonial minister--point out to him the necessity +and importance of a steam communication from the mother country to her +children in the west, and plead the cause of Halifax;[see Note 6] and, +if I am not mistaken, Fairbanks and Howe proceeded first to Liverpool to +make some inquiries about expense, &c. &c. Be this however as it may, it +is all now matter of no consequence--the great nautical high road +between England and her North American Colonies has long been +established beyond a question, and the enterprising Cunard has shown by +his splendid steam vessels, that it may be depended upon beyond a doubt, +as a regular, a safe and an easy communication.[see Note 38] To him, +therefore, are due the thanks of the public, and the credit of +accomplishing this much wished-for route. + + "Whilst others bravely thought, he nobly dar'd." + +But, my dear friend, in an age like the present, shall such a victory +content us? most assuredly not! The time has come when our great +Colonial land route of travelling must reach from Halifax to Frazer's +River, from the Atlantic to the Pacific--and there is still a grand and +a noble undertaking that must yet be accomplished--must be performed by +Great Britain and her colonies--an undertaking that will open a mine of +wealth to all concerned[see Note 7] (not the wealth of gold, but of +commerce and trade). But to proceed--and here again I must tax your +memory. You will, no doubt, recollect, that after the King of Holland +had given his decision in the year 1831 as to our disputed boundary with +America, which had been referred to him, and that all eyes were fixed +upon that question,[see Note 65] which had become very serious and +difficult to settle, his Grace the Duke of Wellington, in speaking on +the subject,[see Note 8] alluded to another very important boundary +question (then little thought of by the public),[see Note 9] and his +Grace pointed to the Oregon.[see Note 33] The discussions and +difficulties that afterwards arose before the final disposal of that +dispute, most assuredly marked its importance, and proved that the +ever-watchful talent of the Duke had not been attracted to that spot, +without cause. + + "We thank the gods + Our Rome has such a soldier!" + +Montgomery Martin says, "But for the Hudson's Bay Company, England would +probably have been shut out from the Pacific." Be that as it may, we had +at all events, one statesman's watchful eye upon that ocean, and the +very important question is now disposed of for ever, leaving open to +England another most valuable high road, with the making of which we +(again like the fly on the wheel) think we must have something to do; at +all events, we may discuss and talk about it,--as in the Tyrian we +formerly did about the great Steam Line from and to Liverpool and +Halifax. But to proceed seriously. Did his Grace, let it be asked, when +pointing to our North-Western boundary line, look forward at that time +to the shores of the Pacific as being "the end of the West and the +beginning of the East?" Did his Grace's imagination picture to his +mind's eye swarms of human beings from Halifax, from New Brunswick, from +Quebec, from Montreal, from Byetown, from Kingston, from Toronto, from +Hamilton, the Red River Settlement, &c. &c. &c., rushing across the +rocky mountains of Oregon with the produce of the West in exchange for +the riches of the East? Did his Grace imagine the Pacific Ocean alive +with all descriptions of vessels sailing and steaming from our +magnificent Colonies--New Zealand, Van Diemen's Land, New South Wales, +New Holland, from Borneo and the West Coast of China, from the Sandwich +Islands, and a thousand other places, all carrying the rich productions +of the East, and landing them at the commencement of the West,--to be +forwarded and distributed throughout our North American provinces, and +to be delivered in THIRTY DAYS at the ports of Great Britain? Did his +Grace foresee that steam would bring Halifax within ten days of +Liverpool? That a Railway would make Halifax only ten or fifteen days +distant from the north-west coast of North America, (and that the +Sandwich Islands would not be ten days further off?) whence steamers +might be despatched with the mails from England for Pekin, Canton, +Australia, New Zealand, &c. &c. &c.; and did his Grace look forward to +the rolling masses of treasure that would be sure to travel on such a +girdle line of communication as that? Did his Grace then weigh and +consider that "to the inventive genius of her sons England owes the +foundation of her commercial greatness. We will not go the length of +asserting that she retains her proud pre-eminence solely upon the +condition of keeping twenty years ahead of other nations in the practice +of mechanical arts. But there is no question, that _a fearful proportion +of our fellow subjects hold their prosperity upon no other tenure_, and +quite independently of what may be done by our rivals it is of vast +importance to our increasing population that the conquest over nature +should proceed unchecked?" [_Quarterly Review, December, 1848._] And did +his Grace look forward and foresee that between the north-eastern and +north-western shores of America, and through our loyal, long-tried and +devoted North American colonies,[see Note 10] there might be undertaken +a great, a noble, and a most important work, that would give +remunerative employment to the population, to the wealth, and to the +inventive genius of England? Did his Grace, in short, look forward to a +_grand National Railway from the Atlantic to the Pacific_?[see Note 60] +If not, let his Grace do so now! Let the people of Great Britain do +so!--let her colonial minister. Startling as it may at first appear, a +little reflection will show that England and her children have the power +to make it; that it must be done; and will become valuable property--for +it would increase our commerce and trade to an extent not easy to +calculate.[see Note 11] But such a noble work must not be looked upon +merely as a money question,--although if only considered in that +light,--England must reflect that if she wishes and intends to retain +her high pre-eminence amongst the nations of the earth, she must most +assuredly pay for it. No country can have all the blessings and +advantages of England and have them for nothing, nor can she retain them +without great exertion. Her accumulated wealth cannot be allowed to +remain idle--nor will it.[see Note 12] No one will deny for a moment +that every economy that will make the poor man richer and happier ought +to be practised;[see Note 39] but let us take care that we do not, from +too strong a desire to retain that wealth which Providence has thrown +into the lap of England[see Note 13] even in the midst of war,[see Note +14] deprive her labouring children of legitimate employment and just +remuneration, (all that the industrious classes of our fellow-countrymen +require.) But the undertaking proposed has even a higher claim to our +attention. _It is the great link required to unite in one powerful chain +the whole English race_. Let then our Railway Kings, and our Iron +Kings, our princely merchants, and our lords millionnaires--let the +stirring and active spirits of the age--the great reformers and the +modern politicians, many of whom are now proclaiming through the land +that economy alone can save the country--[see Note 15]condescend for a +short time even, to consider the undertaking here proposed; and say, if +they can, that (even should it be executed at an immense expense) it +would not produce a great and beneficial forward movement, and be a +present happy employment, and a future perpetual source of wealth to +England and her children. Let them consider also that "the social +advancement which the modern improvement of Railways is calculated to +effect has added a new faculty to man in the facilities which it affords +of communication between province and province, and between nation and +nation. Nor does it seem too much to say, that it will be the means of +binding all the nations of the earth into one family, with mutual +interests, and with the mutual desire of promoting the prosperity of +their neighbours, in order that they may enhance their own, and forming +thereby the most powerful antagonistic principle to war that the earth +has ever known." [_Bradshaw's Almanack, 1849._] Again, what says the +Quarterly: "We trust our readers of all politics will cordially join +with us in a desire, not inappropriate at the commencement of a new +year, that the wonderful discovery which it has pleased the Almighty to +impart to us, instead of becoming amongst us a subject of angry dispute, +may in every region of the globe bring the human family into friendly +communication; that it may dispel national prejudices; assuage +animosities--in short, that, by creating a feeling of universal +gratitude to the powers from which it has proceeded, it may produce on +earth peace and good-will towards men." And where, let it be asked, can +this wonderful discovery, this great power of steam,[see Note 16] be +called into action so effectually and so usefully, not only for Great +Britain, but for mankind in general, than in that parallel of +latitude[see Note 17] in which (_all barrier difficulties and all cause +for war being now removed_) would naturally flow in full tide the +civilization, arts and sciences that invariably follow in the wake of +Englishmen? Then as to the difficulties of the undertaking, let us +recollect that an eminent engineer, previous to the construction of the +Liverpool and Manchester Line, said, "No man in his senses would attempt +a Railroad over Chat Moss:" his calculation was that it would cost +L270,000. Yet the genius of George Stephenson afterwards surmounted the +difficulty at a cost of L40,000, though the work was commenced when +engineering science was less understood than now. Let us also listen to +the Quarterly, "Steam as applied to locomotion by sea and land is the +great wonder-worker of the age. For many years we have been so startled +by such a succession of apparent miracles, we have so often seen results +which surpassed and falsified all the deductions of sober calculations, +and so brief an interval has elapsed between the day when certain +performances were classed by men of science as among impossibilities, +and that wherein those same performances had almost ceased to be +remarkable from their frequency, that we might almost be excused if we +regarded the cloud-compelling demon, with somewhat of the reverence +which the savage pays to his superior, when he worships as omnipotent +any power whose limits he cannot himself perceive." With such a +power[see Note 18] (so eloquently described) at our command, and such +magnificent results to be obtained from it, shall England hesitate? +shall the expenditure of a few millions check such a noble work? shall +the Rocky Mountains be a barrier? mountains never yet properly explored, +and of which almost all we know is that (as my friend Colonel Bloomfield +observed) we nearly went to war to be allowed to cross them. And what +are the expenses of war? Between the years 1797 and 1815, 630 millions +of money were expended for carrying on war. Again, the very magnitude of +the undertaking and length of the Railway is in its favour, for--listen +again to the Quarterly: "We believe it may be affirmed without fear of +contradiction, that the working details of a Railway are invariably well +executed in proportion to their magnitude. A little Railway--like a +little war--is murderous to those engaged and ruinous to those who pay +for it." Now if in England experience has taught all this,--shall the +good people of Halifax, New Brunswick, Quebec, Montreal, Toronto, &c., +be allowed, perhaps encouraged, to go on slowly endeavouring (at an +immense expense and outlay for such young communities) to make a variety +of small Railways,[see Note 40] thus acknowledged to be ruinous, and the +mother country remain quietly looking on when she has now the power of +greatly assisting them, and to her own advantage, by planning and +arranging one grand route and system of Lines throughout the whole +country,[see Note 19] and under Providence the means of opening that +route in an incredible short space of time? Let then England, her North +American colonies, and the Hudson's Bay Company, join heart and hand, +and with the great power of steam which it has pleased the Almighty to +place at the command of man, there will soon arise a work that will +be the wonder and admiration of the age--and such a mercantile and +colonizing road will be open to Great Britain, that at no future period, +(at least within the imagination of man,) will she ever again have to +complain of too great a population on her soil, and too small a market +for her labour. + +Let us now then proceed, my dear friend, to consider how this great +work might be commenced, and its probable results when accomplished. In +the first place let us look a little to the immense annual cost to +England for her prisons and her convicts,[see Notes 47 and 50]--much of +that crime arising probably from the want of employment, and consequent +poverty.[see Note 20] Even at this moment five millions are spoken of as +a sum required to be expended in new prisons for a favourite system.[see +Note 41] In 1836 it was suggested "as well worthy of consideration, +whether it would not be advisable to cease transporting convicts at so +great a cost to distant settlements, and instead to send them to a +nearer place of exile, where their labour might be rendered in so great +a degree valuable, as speedily to return to the Mother Country the whole +of the charge incurred for their conveyance" [_The Progress of the +Nation, by A. R. Porter, Esq._];[see Note 21] and where could England +better employ her convict labour, than on a work that would be of such +vast and lasting importance to herself, to her colonies, and to mankind +in general? It was also observed, by the same author, "If gangs of +convict labourers were placed a little beyond the verge of civilization, +and employed in clearing and enclosing lands, constructing roads, +building bridges, the land thus prepared and improved would meet with +ready purchasers at prices which would well repay the Government their +previous outlay." It may be objected by some, that the expense of the +troops necessary to guard the convicts would be very great, and would be +a heavy burden to this country. To them I must use the words of the +"Times," when suggesting the grant of colonial lands to be annexed to +the performance of military duties. "Subsidiary to and connected with +this arrangement might be devised another, by which soldiers of good +character might be discharged after ten years service, and rewarded with +small freeholds in the colonies. They might be bound to appear on duty +at certain periods, and for a certain duration of time, as our +pensioners are at present." And if soldiers of six or eight years +service were sent out in charge of the convicts, that unpleasant duty +would be of very short duration before they would meet with their +reward. Added to which, it has been suggested by my friend Captain Wood, +of the Hon. East India Company's service, that the Indians might be very +usefully employed on this duty,[see Note 48] somewhat in the same manner +as the natives in India are encouraged to look after European soldiers +who desert their colours. In alluding to the pensioners of Great +Britain, it is only due to Lieut.-Col. Tulloch to render our honest +thanks to him, for the introduction through his indefatigable exertions +of this most important feature in a new military system. Not only has he +added to the respectability, comfort, and happiness of many a worn out +old soldier, but he has also provided a very imposing force of veterans +ready at any moment to support the laws of their country; and, should +unfortunately such an occasion ever arise, of opposing all feeling of +disloyalty to their beloved sovereign.[see Note 42] Lieut.-Col. Tulloch +may well feel proud of the result of his labours. This system of +pensions alluded to by the "Times" would become extremely applicable to +the troops employed in guarding the convicts on the proposed Atlantic +and Pacific Railway, and small villages, and ultimately cities, would, +no doubt, arise from such a source: but even the first outlay caused by +the employment of the convicts on such a work cannot be considered as +any extra expense to government; for these convicts must be fed, must be +employed, and must be guarded somewhere: and it will be shown hereafter +that government will be reimbursed not only her expenditure on account +of the convicts, but also her expenditure on account of the troops +required to guard them. In making his suggestions for the employment of +the convicts in 1836, Mr. Porter says, "There is unhappily but too much +reason for believing that the whole number of labourers who could be +thus profitably employed might be furnished from the criminal population +of Great Britain." And by a return given at the same time, it is shown +that the number of convicts from 1825 to 1833, both years inclusive, was +22,138, and that return did not include all the penal settlements. The +"Times" of the 18th January, 1848, in speaking of the expenditure of the +country, says, "Convicts at home and abroad have mounted from L111,306 +to L378,000; certainly the law of increase is strongly marked on the +expense of crime." "If any body will cut down this figure, he will earn +the gratitude of the nation." This last expression of the Times has more +particular reference to the expense incurred for Ireland, but will no +doubt be acknowledged to be equally true as bearing upon the enormous +general increase of convict expenditure; and the more I reflect on this +subject, the more do I feel convinced that the employment of convict +labour in the Rocky Mountains,[see Note 22] and at several other points +of the Line of this proposed great National work, would produce a most +beneficial result, as a means of reducing the amount of crime, as even +an immediate saving of transport expense to England (unless indeed all +distant penal settlements are to be finally abandoned),[see Notes 21 and +45] and as an ultimate great advantage both to her own commerce, and to +that of her colonies; and here let it be recollected, that there is a +feeling abroad "to force upon government and the legislature a bold and +manly course in dealing with crime in general:" that the magnificent +prisons now built are considered "unjust to the labouring poor, whose +humble dwelling, with coarse and scanty food, is mocked by the grandeur +and beauty of the prison, as well as by the idle and comfortable +entertainment within its wall;" and it has been remarked by a public +journal in a warning voice, "to make prisons palaces is the way to turn +palaces into prisons."[see Note 34] But enough has been said on this +subject at present, and we will now consider again the working out of +this great undertaking. We will suppose, in the first place, active, +intelligent, and scientific young men to be sent to the Rocky +Mountains,[see Note 49] to ascertain the best spot at which to cross +them, and the best port (if the mouth of Frazer's River will not +answer), on the western shore of North America, within, of course, the +Hudson's Bay Company's territory, for a great commercial harbour and +railway terminus. Then let a grand line of Railway be marked out from +Halifax to that spot, and let all local towns or districts that have +sufficient capital and labour to undertake any part of that Line, have +the benefit of the profits of the whole Line, in proportion to the parts +they may finish. No convict labour need interfere with them. But in such +districts as are at present so thinly inhabited as to have no working +population, and no capital to expend, let the work be commenced by +England, by her capital, and her convicts;[see Note 23] and let +government encourage and facilitate the formation of a great Atlantic +and Pacific Railway Company, by obtaining from parliament a national +guarantee for the completion of the work;[see Note 51] first, of course, +having entered into arrangements with the Hudson's Bay Company, and her +North American provinces, for the security of such sums of money as may +be advanced by way of loan from Great Britain. + +To Englishmen we would say then, in the words of the Rev. C. G. +Nicolay, "We have at home a superabundant population,[see Note 24] +subject to a very rapid increase on any reduction of the price, if but +of the necessaries of life,--how can it be better employed than in +seeking, with its own advance in social position, and means of +acquiring its comforts, if not its luxuries, the spread of our free +institutions--equal laws--and holy religion. We desire an enlarged +sphere for commercial enterprise. New markets for our manufactures; +these every fresh colony supplies in its measure. If then the Oregon be +what it appears to be, if its climate, soil, agriculture, and commercial +capabilities be as represented, why leave its future destiny to time and +circumstances?" We would say to the Hudson's Bay Company in the words +of Mr. James Edward Fitzgerald, "You have the power of becoming the +founders of a New State, perhaps of a new empire, or of arresting for a +time, for you cannot ultimately prevent, the march of mankind in their +career of victory over the desolate and uncultivated parts of the earth. +For now nearly two centuries your sway has extended over half a +continent, and as yet you have left nothing behind you in all that vast +country, to bear witness to your power and your riches. Now a new +destiny is before you; you may, if you will, place your names beside +those who have devoted themselves to the noble task of stimulating and +directing the enterprising genius of their fellow countrymen, who have +prolonged the existence of their nation by giving a new life to its +offspring." And we would then call upon England, her North American +provinces, and the Hudson's Bay Company, to employ their wealth and +power to unite in one great unbroken iron chain, the Mother Country with +her distant Children, and, in spite of Nature's difficulties, carry +steam across the Rocky Mountains.[see Note 25] + +From childhood I have been accustomed to look upon the power of +England as irresistible,--morally, physically,[see Note 35] and +intellectually,--she has now in this age the command of mind and matter +sufficient to enable her almost to move the earth, and shall the tunnel +under the Thames, the tube over the Conway, and the bridge over the +Menai, be our only wonders? How well do I remember the delight with +which I have listened to the anecdote told of Mr. Pitt, who, when he was +informed that it was impracticable to carry into effect some orders he +had given about heavy ordnance being sent to Portsmouth within a certain +time, "Not possible?" exclaimed Mr. Pitt, "then send them by the +Mail."[see Note 26] With the same feeling of pride and delight have I +heard in later days of the artillery officer's remark, when it was +whispered to him by another that it would not be possible to place their +guns in some wished for position; "My dear fellow," said the commanding +officer, "I have the order in my pocket." Let England only commence the +Railway from Halifax to the Pacific, with the order to cross the Rocky +Mountains in the pocket of her sons, and the accomplishment of the +undertaking will soon reward the labour, courage and skill which would +undoubtedly be exhibited. Sir Alexander Mackenzie inscribed in large +characters, with vermillion, this brief memorial, on the rocks of the +Pacific, "Alexander Mackenzie from Canada by land the 22nd of July, +1794." Who will be the first engineer to inscribe upon the Rocky +Mountains "On this day engineer A. B. piloted the first locomotive +engine across the Rocky Mountains;" and what then will be the feeling of +Englishmen, when even now Steam is considered the "exclusive offspring +of British genius, fostered and sustained by British enterprise and +British capital!" We have seen that on the highest habitable spot of the +Mountains of the Alps stands a monument of war, placed there by the hand +of a powerful man in the pride of victory over his fellow-men, and in +honour of his companion in arms. We trust before long that on the +highest habitable spot of the Rocky Mountains will stand a monument of +peace, placed there by an enterprising nation in honour of the victory +of science over nature, and in memory of some enterprising son. + +After all her wars, her victories and her revolutions, in what condition +is France? + +What may not England expect to be with all her victories over +nature--her trade and commerce?[see Note 52] May she march forward in +her career of peace as bravely, as nobly, and as proudly as she did in +that of war; and may she now take as great an interest in, and make +the same exertions for, the welfare and happiness not only of her own +people, but of those of other nations in all quarters of the globe, as +she did in former days for their protection from a desolating foe. + +What the ultimate consequences of such a link of connection would be, +are indeed far beyond the reach of the human mind to foresee; but its +immediate results stand out apparently to the most common observer. In +the first place, Cape Horn (_the roughest point to weather in the whole +world_) would be avoided. In the next, the long passage by the Cape of +Good Hope to innumerable places in the Pacific Ocean would become also +unnecessary. In both these cases a great amount of time (which in +commerce is money) would be saved. Again, it would be no longer +necessary to send goods by the route of the Hudson's Bay[see Note 27] to +the territories of that Company; and thus _a climate horrible in winter +and summer_, would also be avoided.[see Note 44] Then one view of the +map of the world will show that the proposed terminus of the Atlantic +and Pacific Railway at Frazer's River, taken as a centre, would bring +New Zealand, New South Wales, in fact, Australia, New Guinea, Borneo, +Canton, Pekin, all within fifty days' sail of that point; and taking the +Sandwich Islands as a centre point, (where there is a fine harbour, and +where a depot of coals might be established), which could be reached in +ten days, all the before-named places would be brought within twenty +days for steam navigation, other points, such as the Friendly Islands, +&c., might be selected for further depots of coals. Again, from the +terminus of the proposed railway the mails from England could be +despatched to all the before-mentioned places, and the formation of a +great steam navigation company, with a grant from government in the same +way as a grant was made to the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company to +Halifax, would insure magnificent steamers for the conveyance of these +mails, and would secure also to the Hudson's Bay Company an immense +consumption of their coal. Last, though not least of all, this Railway +route across the continent of North America would ensure to England at +all times a free communication with her East India possessions. It is +true that at present there is no difficulty in that respect, and the +indefatigable exertions of Lieutenant Waghorn and of other enterprising +people, amongst them my friend Major Head, have opened to the British +public and to the East India Company a quick and speedy communication +with India. But let the public reflect, and let the Government reflect, +that, in the event of a European war, we might be called upon to defend +and keep open that communication at an immense expenditure of life and +money, and indeed it might even be closed against us; whereas the +proposed Line across the continent of America would be within our own +dominions, and would not oblige us to interfere or meddle with any +continental wars to enjoy its free use. No time ought to be lost in the +commencement of this national undertaking. + +If then Government took the initiative, it might obtain the consent of +Parliament, and proceed to appoint a Board of General Arrangement and +Control, consisting, say, of fifteen Commissioners: three on the part of +Great Britain, three to be named by the Hudson's Bay Company, three to +be appointed by the Government of Nova Scotia, three by that of New +Brunswick, and three on the part of Canada; all these latter of course +with the approval of their respective Governors. It may appear that +the North American Provinces would thus have a greater proportion +of Commissioners; but as each of these Colonies have Governments +independent of each other, they may be considered as separate Companies, +although we take them as one when considered as the North American +Provinces. These fifteen gentlemen might be all Members of Parliament; +thus the system of representatives from the Colonies, so often suggested +and spoken of, could be commenced, and the Colonists thus made +practically aware that they are _an integral part of this country_. +These Commissioners could be authorized to make all the necessary +arrangements for the security of the monies proposed to be advanced by +the Government of Great Britain, and should be instructed to draw up the +general Articles of Agreement between the high contracting parties; and +Government might be authorized by Parliament to open an account with +these Commissioners, who as a Body might be called "The Atlantic and +Pacific Railway Board of Control," and under its auspices a public +Company might be formed, refunding to the Government all previous +outlay. + +Our North American provinces are close at hand, and during the +approaching summer all the necessary arrangements might be made for the +reception of a great number of convicts in different locations; and, in +the first instance, they might be sent to Halifax and Quebec,[see Note +53] where they could be received immediately, not certainly in palaces, +but in very good wood huts; at both these places they could also be at +once set to work in unloading the vessels sent from England with the +necessary stores for the commencement of this great national work, and +in preparing and levelling the situations of the respective termini; for +of course at both these stations great government as well as private +wharfs would be established. Again: another portion could be sent at +once from New South Wales to the port fixed upon on the north-west coast +of North America, in the Hudson's Bay Company's territory:[see Note 67] +there they could be put to work in the same way--to unload vessels +bringing in stores, to cut down and prepare timber, level and get ready +the site of the terminus. And it appears very necessary that preparation +should be made for the reception of a large body at the Red River +Settlement, that point being a very important spot in the Line proposed. +Let us see what Montgomery Martin says about it.[see Note 28] + +The Bishop of Montreal, in 1844, says, "The soil, which is alluvial, is +beyond example rich and productive, and withal so easily worked, that, +although it does not quite come up to the description of the Happy +Islands--reddit ubi cererem tellus inarata quot annis--there is an +instance, I was assured, of a farm in which the owner, with +comparatively light labour in the preparatory processes, had taken a +wheat crop out of the same land for eighteen successive years, never +changing the crop, never manuring the land, and never suffering it to +lie fallow, and that the crop was abundant to the last; and, with +respect to the pasture and hay, they are to be had ad libitum, as nature +gives them in the open plains." Again, speaking of import goods: "All +these articles are brought across from Hudson's Bay, a distance of +several hundred miles, in boats, and these boats are drawn across the +portages on rollers, or in some places carried upon waggons; hence those +articles which are of a heavy description are charged at a price +seemingly out of all proportion to that of many others which may be +obtained at a moderate price: a common grindstone is sold for +20_s_."[see Note 29] + +Now read again the description of Hudson's Bay, discovered by John +Hudson in 1610,[see Note 27] then look upon that picture, and upon +this; look upon that country that will give eighteen successive crops of +wheat, and look upon the difficult, dangerous, and tedious navigation of +that bay, whose _climate in summer and winter is horrible_, and through +whose waters the stores of this fine country are obliged to travel; +look at that picture, then look at this,--the easy, safe, and rapid +communication of a Railway,--and say if the time, health and money that +would be saved by its construction is not worthy the consideration of +Englishmen, and would not repay the constructors, even if that was to be +its last terminus.[see Note 54] + +But when it is considered that the Main Line of Railway, in passing +through our own colonies, would skirt the shores of Lake Superior--rich +in mines of silver and copper[see Note 36]--and that the Red River +Settlement[see Note 30] would only be one of the many valuable towns and +districts that would be opened to trade and commerce, and only +contribute its mite to the profits to be obtained from the passage of +the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, it appears to me impossible that +such a powerful and wealthy Company as the Hudson's Bay, such +magnificent colonies as our North American provinces, and such a power +as Great Britain, can balance for one moment in their minds whether loss +or profit must attend the undertaking and completion of such a Railway. + +But, vires acquirit eundo, our argument is stronger as we proceed; for, +crossing the Rocky Mountains, where the real terminus would be, let us +pause for a moment to consider the mine of wealth we should open--not +the wealth of gold and silver--but wealth, the reward of commerce and +industry. + +"The land," Nicolay says, "affords, even now, exports of cattle, wool, +hides, and tallow, as well as salted meat, beef, pork, wheat, barley, +Indian corn, apples, and timber. Of these all are sent to the Sandwich +Islands, some to California, and hides and wool have been sent to +England. The woods of the Oregon present another fertile source of +national wealth. The growth of timber of all sorts in the neighbourhood +of the harbours in the De-fuca Strait adds much to their value as a +naval and commercial station. Coal is found in the whole western +district, but principally shows itself above the surface on north part +of Vancouver's Island. To these sources of commercial and national +wealth must be added the minerals--iron, lead, tin, &c. The mountains +and seacoast produce granite, slate, sandstone,--and in the interior +oolites; limestone is plentiful, and to the north most easily worked +and very rich in colour." + +Again: look to the whale fishery.[see Note 31] And, in conclusion, we +may say that the Hudson's Bay Company's territory in the Pacific, that +is, New Caledonia, "will be found to fall short of but a few countries, +either in salubrity of climate, fertility of soil, and consequent +luxuriance of vegetation, and utility of production, of in the +picturesque character of the scenery." + +But, my dear friend, I have been led on by my excitement on this subject +to make quotations and enter into particulars and details far beyond my +original thoughts, which were chiefly to draw the attention of your +powerful and active mind to a great national undertaking, knowing well +your love of everything English, and at the same time your devoted +attachment to the North American colonies. You have travelled far, and +seen much, and have shown in your works how clearly you have observed +and appreciated the power and manly spirit of England; + + "Dear for her reputation through the world;" + +and although you have felt, as a colonist, that her provinces of North +America might have been better governed, and that they have had even +much justly to complain about, still you have always upheld the +connection with England, and argued its value. In writing to you, the +thoughts of old times have returned, and reminded me of our happy +meetings and friendly converse in your lodgings in Piccadilly; and, thus +thinking, I have written on, as in fancy I have imagined we should have +chatted together,--and now I cannot do otherwise than continue in this +freedom of communication, and endeavour to excite you to entertain my +thoughts, and to canvass them among your fellow-countrymen. + +To return, then, to our subject, and to the necessity for England to be +up and stirring. It has been remarked, that "a person who is already +thriving seldom puts himself out of his way to commence even a lucrative +improvement, unless urged by the additional motive of fear lest some +rival should supplant him by getting possession of it before him." +Truly, indeed, has it been said by the Spectator, "that England is not +bankrupt, nor poor, nor needy. In every quarter we see immense additions +to material wealth; we observe, too, on all hands a vast extension of +luxurious enjoyments among the middle classes; every thing attests a +huge growth in the wealth of the nation." It may be fairly considered, +then, that England is thriving--a lucrative improvement of vast +magnitude is open to her--and if the additional motive of fear of +rivalry is necessary to excite her in so noble an undertaking, let her +reflect on what is said in an American paper:-- + +A Boston paper of the day says, "the finding of these gold mines is of +more importance than any previous event for 300 years. The prosperity +of Queen Elizabeth's reign was mainly owing to the stimulus given to +commerce by the increase of the precious metals; but the field now to be +acted upon is at least fifty times greater than during that period. +Within five years there will be a Railroad from the Atlantic Ocean, +across the great American Continent, through the gold regions, to the +Bay of San Francisco, said to be the finest harbour in the world. The +people of San Francisco will then communicate by telegraph in a few +minutes, and the mails will be taken to Canton on the one side in +fourteen days, and to London on the other in nine days; so that +intelligence may be conveyed from the one end to the other in the short +period of twenty-three days. This will be witnessed under five years." + +It is evident, then, that the people of the United States are quite +aware of all the advantages to be gained by a quick communication across +the Continent of America. Let us consider now, for a moment, what the +consequences of a railway would be as regards your own valuable and +fertile colonies.[see Note 43] + +You have no doubt already pictured to yourself the town of Halifax alive +with all the bustle and excitement of a great commercial community, and +her noble harbours full of every description of vessels, from the +magnificent English steamer to the small colonial coasting craft; for +soon, not merely one steamer a week, as now, would touch from England on +her way to New York, but Nova Scotia herself, from the increasing wealth +and importance of her towns, would require the use of many steamers to +enable her to carry on the numerous commercial duties that would fall to +her lot; and when we reflect that at Halifax would rest the terminus, +whence could be embarked for England at all seasons of the year our +highly valuable colonial produce, including the rich exports from the +Southern Pacific Ocean (not sent round Cape Horn or the Cape of Good +Hope); and when we reflect that this long neglected seaport town could +equally receive at all seasons of the year the various exports from +England, for her numerous Colonies; and when we consider that there is +abundance of coal at hand, with wood and stone for building, who can +hesitate for a moment to acknowledge that Halifax would soon become one +of the most important ports, and one of the most noble cities of the +world; add to this, that the connection and attachment of Nova Scotia to +England would be cemented for ever--and that the dream of the Clockmaker +would be realized. "This is the best situation in all America--is Nova +Scotia, if the British did but know it. It will have the greatest trade, +the greatest population, the most manufactures, the most wealth, of any +state this side of the water. The resources, natural advantages, and +political position of this place, beats all." Then again, look to the +city of Quebec; no sooner would the river navigation be open than +thousands of vessels from England would be seen dropping their anchors +at the foot of her proud citadel, carrying out vast cargoes of English +exports; then picture to yourself the railway terminus, alive with all +the consequent bustle, the steam up, and the railway carriages ready to +convey all these articles of commerce to every town and district in the +North American Colonies; away also to the far west, whence they would be +forwarded to our colonial possessions in the Southern Pacific, and to +numerous other places; then again, behold these ships reloading quickly +with the timber and other exportable articles from our then +firmly-linked-together valuable Colonies, sailing away for England, and +repeating their visit two or three times in the season; the difficult +navigation of the Hudson's Bay avoided; the territory of the Hudson's +Bay Company daily increasing in value, from the ease with which its +inhabitants could procure articles of commerce, before almost forbidden +to them; and Quebec, being their nearest port for embarkation for +England, would necessarily become even a much more important city than +she is at present. The land in her neighbourhood would become highly +valuable, and, as a matter of necessity, the fine country to the north, +with even better soil and better climate, would soon be opened and +peopled. I cannot cease referring to Quebec without recording my +gratitude for many kindnesses there received--particularly from the +family of Captain Boxer.[see Note 55] Then again, look to New Brunswick, +connected as it would of course be both with Halifax and Quebec, thus, +having a free and direct communication with those cities, and enabled to +export or import at any season of the year, (should she wish to avoid +the navigation of the Bay of Fundy); then think what strength she would +bring to the union of the Colonies by such a link of connection, and how +many more opportunities her inhabitants would have of encouraging and +fostering that strong attachment to their English brethren we all so +well know to exist amongst the people of New Brunswick. + +But, my dear friend, I might go on this way for ever, pointing out town +after town, and district after district, showing how the wealth and +prosperity of each would go on rapidly increasing. I cannot, however, +quit the subject without a passing word on Montreal, in which city I +have passed many happy days, and from whose inhabitants I have received +much kindness and civility. That noble city has already made some +steady advances to a great capital, and the time cannot be far distant +when she will rival even the most flourishing on the North American +Continent. To her this proposed Railway would be highly important. She +has shown that she already understands the value of such things; for not +only has she a small one of her own to La-Chine, about seven miles up +the river, but she has also, I understand, finished about thirty miles +towards the Atlantic in the direction of Portland. The interest of these +Companies would not of course be lost sight of, but their profits taken +into the general calculation. The great Trunk Line of Railway would +naturally, I conclude, go through a country some distance to the north +of Montreal; but one of the most important termini must of necessity be +at that city where the business of the Government is carried on, and +where of course a general Railway Communication with every town and +district would be established. Toronto would naturally be considered in +the manner in which so loyal and devoted a city ought to be, and where +was held, even to a very late period, the parliament of a great country, +surrendered only to her sister Montreal on public considerations and for +the general good;[see Note 62] and the Main Line of Railway should be +brought as near Toronto as the communication between the Atlantic and +Pacific (its great object and principal view) would permit. Hamilton, +Kingston, Byetown and several other places must not consider themselves +neglected, if not herein specially mentioned; but in fact as regards +these Colonies, the song of your friend, the Clockmaker, about them +cannot be sung too often. "Oh Squire! if John Bull only knew the value +of these Colonies, he would be a great man, I tell you,--but he don't." +Truly do I hope that I may now sing to them with confidence,-- + + "There's a good time coming yet, + Wait a little longer." + +In your conversation with the Clockmaker you have observed, "it is +painful to think of the blunders that have been committed from time to +time in the management of our Colonies, and of the gross ignorance or +utter disregard of their interests that has been displayed in treaties +with foreign powers. Fortunately for the Mother Country, the Colonists +are warmly attached to her and her institutions, and deplore a +separation too much to agitate questions, however important, that may +have a tendency to weaken their affections by arousing their passions." +Should the Government of Great Britain, upon whose consideration will be +forced the present situation of her Colonies, consider it right to give +their support to this proposed Atlantic and Pacific Railway for the +reasons herein explained, or from any other cause,--the great benefit +that Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Canadas will derive from having +open to them a free and easy access to the Atlantic and the Pacific, +will, I trust, occasion such an activity of mind and such an employment +of matter, that in the general good arising therefrom, all thoughts of +former ill treatment or unkindness from the Mother Country will soon be +forgotten. + +The great question, however, is, and will be on all sides, Where is the +money to come from?[see Note 56] and that question I am weak enough to +fancy is easily answered. Let us consider this subject a little. Let us +remember, first, that England expended 630 millions during nineteen +years in war, and, notwithstanding which expenditure, the country got +richer and richer every day;[see Note 14] and if the country is not +poorer now than it was in the years when it was able to raise the sum of +150 millions in a single year--the greater part of which it could afford +to expend in one year in war, and grow richer all the time--surely such +a country can afford to expend some few millions for the benefit of +those colonies on account of whom she was lately ready to go to war, and +on whose account she did actually expend about two millions, caused +merely by the rebellion and disturbance of a few discontented spirits. +But the money that England would be called upon to advance in the +proposed undertaking would secure to her not only the attachment of her +children in the North American provinces, by making it as well their +worldly interest, as it is their natural feeling and wish, to remain +Englishmen; but that money, and the interest of that money, could be +secured to her by proper arrangements being entered into with the +Hudson's Bay Company, and with the North American provinces, and be +ultimately reimbursed to her by the formation of the proposed Company. + +Up to the present moment England has, I believe, only expended the +sum of L148,000,000 on her Railways, and, I believe, nearly 5000 miles +are finished; and on an average these Railways are said to give a return +of about four per cent., and "with the increase of the national +wealth and population, and with the increase of habits of social +inter-communication and the transit of goods, the traffic on Railways +would increase, and the profits and dividends would not be less but +greater; and in the case of some of them, no man would pretend to say +how great might be the increase of dividends from the improved and +economical modes of working Railways, which, there is every reason to +believe, will day by day be freshly discovered." [_Bradshaw's Almanack, +1849_]. And who will say that L200,000,000 expended (even should such a +sum as that be required) in making a Railway Road from the Atlantic to +the Pacific through our own territories, and therefore completely under +our own controul, would not increase by a tenfold degree the value of +that property already expended in England? When the Railways now in +contemplation at home are finished, their total length will, I believe, +be about 10,000 miles, and the expenditure between 200 and 240 millions. +The length of the Railway proposed to go through our colonies may be +spoken of roughly as at about 4000 miles; but when we take into +consideration the relative value of land in England and our colonies, +and a thousand other Railway contingencies in a highly civilized +country, creating enormous legal, legislative and other expenses, we +naturally come to the conclusion that the outlay per mile must of course +be considerably diminished in the colonies. Taking it, however, at the +English expenditure of L24,000 a mile on the average, it would only cost +L96,000,000;[see Note 32]--L5,000,000 has been estimated as sufficient +for six hundred miles of Railway from Halifax to Quebec. But calling it +L100,000,000, and supposing the work to be five years completing, that +would only be at the rate of L20,000,000 a year, the interest of which +at five per cent. would be L1,000,000. Surely, then, such a sum as that +could be easily raised, even by the Hudson's Bay Company alone, upon the +security of their extensive and valuable territory. For so great a +difference would soon arise between the value of that territory as it +is now--merely the abode of Indians and hunters--and what it would be +then; with its clearings, its improvements, its roads, its trade, its +manufactures, and its towns, that any amount of debt almost might be +incurred. But our loyal colonies would no doubt equally enter into +securities to England, and be glad, in fact, to share their chance of +the profit; for these colonies, as well as the Hudson's Bay Company, +would be immense gainers. Still it may be argued, that unless it can be +shown that England herself would be a gainer, she would not be justified +in advancing any money on such an undertaking. Let us, then, consider +this point a little. Mr. Cobden has asserted (what some of our public +journals confess to be true), "that if the revenue had fallen off, it +was because the balance sheet of the merchants and the manufacturers had +fallen off likewise." If then we show by the undertaking of such a +work as is now proposed, the balance sheets of the merchants and +manufacturers must increase immensely, we surely make out a case for +the good of the country generally, as far as revenue is concerned. + +Let us then first consider, that "So interwoven and complicated are the +fibres which form the texture of the highly civilized and artificial +community in which we live, that an effect produced on any one point is +instantly transmitted to the most remote and apparently unconnected +parts of the system." And again--"The exportation of labourers and +capital from the old to the new countries, from a place where their +productive power is less to a place where it is greater, increases by +so much the aggregate produce of the labour and capital of the world." + +Now, with regard to the first remark, the effect that would be produced +by the necessary exportation of all the machinery for the making and +working of this Atlantic and Pacific Railway, would of course produce, +even in England, a very great increase both to the productive power and +to the consumption of a variety of articles apparently unconnected with +the affairs of the Railway; and when, again, we look to the necessary +exportation of labourers and of capital to the towns on the Line of the +Railway where there is less productive power at work, by increasing that +dormant power we shall increase the aggregate capital of the world, and +consequently that of England. Again--"Could we suddenly double the +productive power of the country, we should double the supply of the +commodities in every market, but we should by the same stroke double +the purchasing power--every body would bring a double demand as well as +supply--every body would be able to buy twice as much, as he would have +twice as much to offer in exchange." Also--"A country which produces for +a larger market than its own, can introduce a more extended division of +labour--can make a greater use of machinery, and is more likely to +make inventions and improvements in the progress of production." +Again--"Whatever causes a greater quantity of any thing to be produced +in the same place, tends to the general increase of the productive +powers of the world." Now it surely will not be denied, that the +undertaking of this National Railway would cause in England a greater +quantity of machinery to be made and exported to the North American +provinces, thus producing for it a larger market than the home, and +causing a greater quantity to be made--thus a general increase of the +productive powers of the world must be produced; and as "wealth may be +defined as all useful or agreeable things which possess exchangeable +value," it necessarily follows that the immense increase that would +be given to the productive powers of England, to those of her North +American provinces, and of the Hudson's Bay territory, by an undertaking +on such an extensive scale, if it did not completely, would nearly +double these powers; and as whoever brings additional commodities to +market brings additional power to purchase, it follows that the +inhabitants of our North American provinces, and of the Hudson's Bay +territory, would be enabled to take nearly twice the quantity of our +manufactured goods. + +Lord Stanley, in moving an amendment to the Address from the Throne, +says: "the exports of the six principal articles of British industry, +cotton, wool, linen, silk, hardware and earthenware, exhibit a +diminution as compared with 1847, of no less than four millions, and as +compared with 1846, of five millions;" such being the case, it becomes +highly important to consider the cause of this falling off, with a view +to a remedy, and some great measures must be adopted towards our own +colonies that will enable them to receive a greater quantity of +manufactured goods from the mother country,--and this great Railway is +suggested as one that would increase the productive power and population +of our North American colonies, and a consequent increasing necessity +for hardware and earthenware, to say nothing even of the other articles +of British industry, or of the facility of communicating with our other +Colonies. + +These few remarks will suffice to show that the balance sheets of the +merchants, and consequently of the revenue of England, as well as the +capital of individuals, must increase immensely during the construction +of and at the completion of the proposed undertaking. Mr. Montgomery +Martin has stated that "Railways are the very grandest organization of +labour and capital that the world has ever seen:" that "the capital +actually invested in Railways advanced from L65,000,000 in 1843 to +L167,000,000 in 1848--no less than L100,000,000 in five years." And +why should we not look forward to an equal--aye--and to a much larger +investment--on such a magnificent Line of Railway? joining, as it would, +all the northern dominions of the old world--crossing, as it would, the +northern territories of the new, and making an easy opening to the rich +and thriving world that may be considered of the present day. For "the +word has been given, an active and enterprising population will be +poured in, every element of progress will be cultivated, and the +productive countries on the shores of the Pacific, heretofore isolated, +will be brought into active and profitable intercourse. It may truly be +said that a new world has been opened. + +"Our fathers watched the progress of America, we ourselves have seen +that of Australia, but the opening of the Pacific is one of the greatest +events in social history since, in the fifteenth century, the East +Indies were made known to Europe; for we have not, as in America or +Australia, to await the slow growth of European settlements, but to +witness at once the energetic action of countries already in a high +state of advancement. The Eastern and the Western shores of the great +Ocean will now be brought together as those of the Atlantic are, +and will minister to each other's wants. A happy coincidence of +circumstances has prepared the way for these results. Everything was +ready, the word only was wanted to begin, and it has been given. + +"The outflowings of Chinese emigrants and produce, which have gone +towards the East, will now move to the West; the commercial enterprise +of Australia and New Zealand has acquired a new field of exercise and +encouragement; the markets which Chili and Peru have found in Europe +only, will be opened nearer to their doors; the north-west shore of +America will obtain all the personal and material means of organization; +the Islands of the Pacific will take the place in the career of +civilization for which the labours of the missionary have prepared them; +and even Japan will not be able to withhold itself from the community of +nations. + +"This is worth more to our merchants and manufacturers, and to the +people employed by them, than even the gold mines can be; for this is +the statement of certain results, and the working of the gold mines, +however productive they may prove, must be attended with all the +incidents of irregularity and uncertainty, and great commercial +disadvantages."--(_Wyld's Geographical Notes._) + +Surely then there would be no difficulty with Parliament to encourage +and facilitate the formation of an Atlantic and Pacific Railway Company, +by obtaining its sanction to the loan of L150,000,000 in such sums as +might be required (to be issued under the sanction of a board appointed +for that special purpose), particularly when it is recollected that the +expense of the greater part of her own convicts could be provided for by +that advance. + +It will easily be seen that it would be impossible to complete this +Atlantic and Pacific Railway, without at the same time giving great +encouragement to the emigration of labour; and this "is only practicable +when its cost is defrayed _or at least advanced by others_, than the +labourers themselves. Who then is to advance it? Naturally it may be +said, the capitalists of the colony, who require the labour, and who +intend to profit by it. But to this there is the obstacle, that a +capitalist, after going to the expense of carrying out labourers, has no +security that he shall be the person to derive any benefit from them." +To those who would object to Government interference in a case like the +present, we can only say, in the words of Mr. Mill, that "the question +of Government intervention in the work of colonization involves the +future and permanent interests of civilization itself, and far +outstretches the comparatively narrow limits of purely economical +considerations; but, even with a view to these considerations alone, the +removal of population from the overcrowded to the unoccupied parts of +the earth's surface, is one of those works of eminent social usefulness +which most require, and which at the same time will best repay, the +intervention of Government." "No individual or body of individuals +_could_ reimburse themselves for these expenses." Government, on the +contrary, _could_ take from the increasing wealth _caused by the +construction of this Railway and consequent great emigration, the +fraction which would suffice to repay with interest the money advanced_. +These remarks apply equally to the governments of the North American +provinces as to those of the Hudson's Bay Company and Great Britain.[see +Note 57] + +Let us now personify our Atlantic and Pacific Railway, and endeavour +more immediately to apply some of the reasoning as regards colonization +to the money part of the question as regards the Railway. As regards +colonization the question--Who is to advance the money? has, I think, +been very clearly answered by Mr. Mill. As regards the undertaking of +this Railway, and the answer to the question, Where is the money to come +from? let us first suppose then that "there is an increase of the +quantity of money, caused by the arrival of a foreigner in a place with +a treasure of gold and silver; when he commences expending it, he adds +to the supply of money and by the same act to the demand for goods. If +he expends his funds in establishing a manufactory, he will raise the +price of labour and materials; but, at the higher prices, more money +will pass into the hands of the sellers of these different articles; and +they, whether labourers or dealers, having more money to lay out, will +create an increased demand for all things which they are accustomed to +purchase, and these accordingly will rise in price, and so on, until the +rise has reached every thing." Now let us for a moment suppose this +foreigner to be represented by our friend the Atlantic and Pacific +Railway, (imagined, for the sake of our argument, to be completed), +and we will no longer consider him a foreigner, but a brother. This +brother, on his arrival in England finds that he has unfortunately +forgotten to bring with him his purse, that in fact he has neither gold +nor silver, the representatives of wealth, and here, be it remembered, +that wealth is any thing useful or agreeable, and that money is a +commodity. We will then suppose this North American brother to say, My +good brother of England, I am here without gold or silver, or without +any kind of wealth; the commodities I have left behind me are of such a +nature, that without much labour I could not put them in such a shape as +would enable me to bring them to this country, nor could I obtain silver +or gold enough to represent them; unless, therefore, I send some +labouring people and machinery to my country, I am afraid I cannot +obtain all the commodities I wish to have. Now you have plenty of spare +labourers, and plenty of spare machinery and other useful materials, and +for which you would be glad to receive valuable commodities in my +country; and if you will only send the labourers and machinery out, I +will order that in return you shall be allowed to bring away all the +useful and agreeable things, that is, all the wealth that may be found, +and have the use of such things as you may prefer to keep in my country. +Now if you will make this agreement with me, I will return with you to +my native land, and will not only assist you to obtain all these +commodities, but I will engage also to pay you a certain annual income +out of my saving; and I will show you the short way to the most +extensive region of wealth ever known to any nation in the world; and +you can then travel that road, so that at no future period (at least +within the imagination of man) shall you ever again complain of too +great a population on your soil, or too small a market for your labour. + +Then the good brother of England says to this Atlantic and Pacific +brother,--We believe all you say of your wealth, and we see the great +advantage it would be to us to partake of it, and to have the command of +the road you point out, but what security are we to have that when our +labourers and machinery are sent to your country they will be employed; +and if you have neither gold nor silver nor other commodities ready to +give us in exchange for the work and the articles, how are we to pay the +people to prepare the machinery, and all our other labourers, whose +wages would in England of course become higher, as they would be less in +number, and there would be a greater quantity of work to be done. The +brothers, in talking over this matter, discovered that "credit is +indispensable, for rendering the whole capital of the country +productive. It is also the means by which the industrial talent of the +country is turned to most account for purposes of production. Many a +person who has no capital of his own, or very little, but who has +qualifications for business, which are known and appreciated by some +person of capital, is enabled to obtain either advances of money, or +more frequently goods, on credit, by which his industrial capacities are +made instrumental in the increase of public wealth." The Pacific and +Atlantic brother observed,--This is exactly my case. Only give me +credit, and I will bind myself on my own personal security to give up +whatever portion of my annual income you may consider necessary; and I +will also secure the money advanced by you on my land, on the minerals +thereof, and in any other way that may be deemed necessary. My brother +of the Atlantic and Pacific Railway, says the Englishman, you have +nearly convinced me; we will immediately appoint friends to draw up all +the necessary agreements between us, that will enable me, if possible, +to advance you such labour and machinery as may be required; and we will +also proceed to appoint other friends, who shall take into +consideration, in the first place, the expense incurred from your birth +to a state of manhood, and the annual income that is derived from your +business and your property; and leaving you sufficient to maintain +yourself as a gentleman, we shall appropriate to ourselves whatever may +remain, as a reward for our exertions and the risk to be incurred, and +as a security for the interest of the money expended upon your account. +The brothers having thus agreed in a general way, proceed immediately to +appoint friends and to call upon their good old mother, Great Britain, +to advance the money required, and their North American relations, Nova +Scotia, New Brunswick, Canada, and Hudson's Bay, to come forward and +make a general family treaty for the security and payment of such +advances. The brothers were then congratulating themselves on what they +considered the success of their project, when it was whispered to them +that something of a similar plan had been proposed for their relation +Ireland, by one "whose loss is too great to be slighted, and too recent +not to be felt;" and it had been suggested that for every L100 expended +on Railways in that country, L200 should be lent by Government; upon +which occasion it had been observed by one who has greatly influenced, +whether for good or evil, will be hereafter known, the destinies of the +British Empire, that "the public credit of the State is one of the +elements of our financial strength, and that it was not possible to +appropriate a great portion of that public credit to the encouragement +of commercial enterprises, without, to the same extent, foregoing the +power to apply that public credit in another direction, in the event of +the national exigencies requiring you to do so." The brothers replied, +this is certainly true; but the proposed undertaking is not a commercial +enterprise, although no doubt it would produce great commercial and +colonizing results; but it is a grand national work,--a desideratum that +has been wished for, looked for, and cared for, ever since the new world +was discovered--that has repeatedly called forth great expenditure of +money, great suffering, and loss of life in searching for it, to the +north. It is, in short, the great high road between the Atlantic and +Pacific--the expense of making which you are called upon to consider. + +As regards Ireland, another bold measure has been suggested for that +country; without giving any opinion upon it, I cannot help asking why we +should not be as bold in peace as we were in war. Must we wait until + + "The news is, sir, the Voices are in arms; + _Then indeed_--we shall have means to vent + Our musty superfluity?" + +"Without raising one shilling out of the Exchequer," says Lucius (see +_Morning Post, Jan. 31st_), "boldly apply the national credit to relieve +the national distress; at once authorize the Bank of Ireland, or a bank +to be created for that purpose, to issue twenty or thirty millions in +aid of the landed proprietors; secondly, for the judicious encouragement +of emigration, transplant those who cannot earn a subsistence at home to +a comfortable settlement in our colonies, and to promote such mercantile +or other undertakings, let the notes issued be made legal tenders for +all payments whatever, and let the entire soil of Ireland be pledged for +their ultimate security." Far be it from me to give any opinion on what +is best to be done for Ireland, but certain I feel that what is here +proposed and suggested regarding an Atlantic and Pacific Railway could +not interfere with any plan Government might think right to adopt for +the regeneration of Ireland, unless indeed by greatly facilitating all +emigration plans and permanent employment. + +But, independently of all this money question, "there is the strongest +obligation on the government of a country like our own, with a crowded +population and unoccupied continents under its command, to build as +it were and keep open a bridge from the mother country to those +continents." Let us reflect that "the economical advantages of commerce +are surpassed in importance by those of its effects, which are +intellectual and moral. It is hardly possible to overrate the value, for +the improvement of human beings, of things which bring them in contact +with persons dissimilar to themselves, and with modes of thought and +action unlike those with which they are familiar. Commerce is now +what war once was--the principal source of this contact. Commercial +adventurers from more advanced countries have generally been the first +civilizers of barbarians, and commerce is the purpose of the far greater +part of the communication which takes place between civilized nations. +It is commerce which is rapidly rendering war obsolete, by strengthening +and multiplying the personal interest which is in natural opposition to +it."--(_Mill, Polit. Econ._) In whatever point of view, therefore, we +regard this subject--whether as one of duty by providing the means of +healthy and legitimate employment to our numerous artificers and +labourers now in a state of destitution--a domestic calamity likely to +be often inflicted upon us--unless new fields, easy of access, are made +permanently open to our continually increasing population--and "it would +be difficult to show that it is not as much the duty of rulers to +provide, as far as they can, for the removal of a domestic calamity, as +it is to guard the people entrusted to their care from foreign +outrage"--will they "slumber till some great emergency, some dreadful +economic or other crisis, reveals the capacities of evil which the +volcanic depths of our society may now hide under but a deep crust?"--or +whether we view it as a means of assisting any general system in the +penal code--or whether we view it as a point of individual or government +interest, by turning all that extra-productive power, now idle, in the +direction of our own colonies, and thus connecting and attaching them +more strongly to the mother country--increasing their wealth, their +power and our own:--or whether we consider it in a moral and religious +point of view, as affording greater and quicker facilities for the +spread of education and the Gospel of Christ[see Note 58]--or whether we +look upon it as an instrument for the increase of commerce, and (as an +important consequence) the necessarily directing men's minds, with the +bright beams of hope from their own individual and immediate distress, +as well as from the general excitement and democratic feeling and spirit +of contention showing itself amongst many nations (an object greatly to +be desired) for-- + + "The times are wild.... + ....Every minute now + _May_ be the father of some stratagem;" + +--or whether we look at it in a political point of view, as keeping +open to us at all times, without the necessity of interference with +other nations or of war, a great high road to most of our colonial +possessions, and particularly to India--viewing it then in any one of +these points, who can doubt for a moment the beneficial results that +must attend such an undertaking. But when all these considerations are +taken together, we must repeat what we said in a former page, that it +is a grand and a noble undertaking, and that it must be accomplished by +Great Britain and her colonies. + +Let us reflect, lastly, my dear friend, that "the world now contains +several extensive regions, provided with various ingredients of wealth, +in a degree of abundance of which former ages had not even an idea." +Your native land, and the other North American provinces, have, even by +their own exertions, made rapid advances in wealth, accompanied by moral +and intellectual attainments, and can look forward at no very distant +period (if even left to their own exertions) to be enabled to take a +very prominent position in the affairs of the world. But the Hudson's +Bay Company's territory is still nearly in its primitive state, and much +indeed is to be expected from its advancement, when it shall have taken +its proper station in the general trade and commerce of mankind; the +position of Vancouver's Island is such that there is little reason to +doubt its wealth and consequence will place it high in the scale of +England's offspring.[see Note 59] + +But, my dear friend, unless your mind has become as fully impressed as +my own with the vast importance of this great Railway undertaking, I +shall only tire you the more and detain you to no purpose by dwelling +longer on the subject; and indeed even should your mind be satisfied +with the importance of the work, it may yet conceive it to be of an +impracticable nature. "Who (I have been asked) in the living generation +would be reimbursed for the outlay? and without that, who will undertake +a national work, however grand or remunerative to future ages?" To this +I answer fearlessly, that thousands of human beings of the present +generation would benefit by the outlay; that the employment would be a +quite sufficiently lucrative one and visibly so, as to induce the +English capitalist to come forward and undertake the formation of a +Company; for even at this moment Railways are in contemplation,[see +Note 40] if not actually commenced, from Halifax to Quebec and from New +Brunswick to Halifax; and how much more would these Lines be paying +Lines when they had also an opening to the Pacific! But no individual +nor combination of individuals could have sufficient influence with, or, +if they had the influence, could have the necessary power to induce, the +Hudson's Bay Company to open its territories, and to enter into all the +arrangements and all the agreements that would be necessary to be made +with that Company, with England, and with the North American Colonies, +before a work affecting the interests of so many could be commenced. + +It is necessary then that Government should take the initiative, and it +is not uncommon for her so to do in all great national works, such as +roads, surveys, expeditions either for the objects of science or +commerce; such as those sent to discover the north-west passage, upon +which thousands have been spent,[see Note 44] and on account of which, +at this very moment, England has to deplore, in all probability, the +loss of many a noble son, whose relatives have been for so long a time +kept in all the agony of suspense. Upon no other description of work +would Great Britain be required to advance a single penny; but the very +fact of her undertaking what may be considered legitimate expenses of a +government, the survey and marking out the whole Line, the entering into +treaties with her Colonies and the Hudson's Bay Company for the general +security of the money, and for the interest for a certain number of +years of the capital of the Company, would give such a confidence to the +public mind, that a very short time would bring into full operation in +that direction, sufficient of the power and wealth of England to +accomplish the work; and when accomplished, Government would still hold +a lien upon it until she was reimbursed every penny. And, let me ask, +are there not a thousand expenditures that have been undertaken by +Government for which no reimbursement has ever taken place; and are not +individuals every day risking their capital and their accumulation of +savings, in speculations in foreign lands,[see Note 61] when the result +of those past connections have been such as to lead the Minister of +Foreign Affairs, even in his place in the House of Commons, to hold out +as it were a threat to the whole world, if England's children did not +receive their due. Surely it would be more prudent, more politically +wise, and more economical, for Government to encourage the expenditure +of our own capital in our own Colonies. + +Sitting in his arm chair, in his office in London, the Minister of Great +Britain can now convey his thoughts, his wishes, his commands, in a few +moments to every part of England and Scotland, and will soon be enabled +to do so to Ireland.[see Note 66] He can send the soldiers, horse and +foot, as well as the artillery of Great Britain, flying through the land +at almost any rate he wishes. And all heavy stores and goods of the +merchants can be easily forwarded at about twopence, and even, I +believe, a penny a mile per ton, and at about twenty miles an hour; and +a penny a letter now enables every individual in England to communicate, +at almost every hour, with his distant friends and relations; the post +office itself travelling at a rate and with an ease little to be +comprehended by those who have not witnessed it. The result of such +immense wealth and such enormous power is more than is required for +England, and would necessarily carry with it its own destruction, was +not her empire one which encircles the world. + +Let the minister then who guides and directs the wealth and power above +described, and in whose hands the destinies and happiness of thousands +are placed, picture to himself the encouragement that would be given to +British industry and British enterprize, if, at ten days distance from +her shores, a port was established from which he would be enabled to +send across the Continent of America his thoughts, his wishes, and his +commands, with the same speed at which they now travel throughout +England; and if these thoughts, wishes and commands would reach every +one of our own Colonies in the Pacific in about fifteen days after +leaving the western shore of North America; and if from the same port +(ten days distance from England) could also be despatched the troops of +Great Britain, if unfortunately necessary, travelling at the rate before +described; if heavy stores and merchants' goods could also be enabled to +cross the Continent of America, at the same price and at the same speed +as they now travel in England; if the post office system could also be +introduced, and if letters at a penny each might pass between relation +and relation, between friend and friend from England to her most distant +Colonies--if her children gone forth to colonize could then either +return or communicate their every wish to England in less than a month; +and reclining in his own arm chair, reflecting as he ought to do and +must do upon the power and wealth of England, let him not say that all +here described is not easily within her reach. Let him rather consider +the subject with a view to become the Leader of the Country in such a +noble work. If it is a bold work, let him remember that fortune favours +the brave.--"Si secuta fuerit, quod debet Fortuna, gaudebimus omnes, sin +minus, ego tamen gaudebo." + +And now, my dear friend, whose patience I have so long taxed, it is time +that we should part-- + + "Whether we shall meet again I know not; + If we do meet again--why we shall smile. + If not, for ever and for ever farewell." + + Believe me, + + Ever your's, + + Sincerely and faithfully attached, + + ROBERT CARMICHAEL-SMYTH. + + JUNIOR UNITED SERVICE CLUB, + _February, 1849._ + + + + + +CONCLUSION. + + +The last correction for the press was scarcely finished, when "Canada +in 1848" was put into my hands. Had I, a month ago, seen that little +pamphlet, written as it is with so much spirit and ability, I should +hardly, perhaps, have felt sufficiently inclined to have suggested one +Line of Railway, in opposition to the views of its talented author. I +trust I need scarcely assure Lieut. Synge, that in any observations I +have made upon Canals, I had no reference whatever to his grand +scheme,--nor the least intention of treating lightly his magnificent +project, of which, until a day or two ago, I did not even know the +existence. I cannot now, however, let my Letter to my friend the Author +of the Clockmaker go forth to the public, without availing myself of the +opportunity thus afforded me, of bringing also to the notice of those +who read that letter "the existing resources of British North America," +so fully and powerfully pointed out by Lieut. Millington Henry Synge, of +the Royal Engineers. Educated myself at Woolwich, and having served for +seven years in his sister corps, the Artillery, I feel proud and happy +that there are so many points upon which we can and do agree. There are +some, however, and one in particular most important, on which we are +completely at issue. Lieut. Synge says, "A ship annually arrives at Fort +York for the service of the Hudson's Bay Company; who can tell how many +may eventually do so?" Now my wish is that the one "annually" arriving +may never have again to travel that Bay, _whose climate in winter and +summer is horrible_. I shall say no more on this subject at present; +but I strongly recommend all those who have condescended to read and +reflect upon the foregoing pages, to read and reflect also upon what has +been written by Lieut. Synge. His pamphlet has afforded me the greatest +possible pleasure. The manner in which (p. 5) he speaks of the people of +the Colonies is completely in unison with my own expressed feelings; and +all the arguments that he brings forward in favour of the great work +upon which he has evidently thought so much, and in his pamphlet so +clearly explained, bear equally in favour of the suggested Railway. He +states that there is "a field open to almost an illimitable capital of +labour; that the systematic development of the resources of British +North America will, so far from being a drain upon Great Britain, be of +immediate advantage to her. That such development entails a natural, +enduring, and perfect union between Great Britain and that part of her +empire in North America. That completeness of communication, including +facility, rapidity, and security, is indeed the true secret of the +rapidity and completeness of the development of the country." These are +the thoughts of Lieut. Synge, and I think I have already explained that +they are equally mine. We have suggested different methods. Lieut. Synge +wishes to improve the old Line of water communication; and Colonization +would then be naturally confined to the banks of Rivers and of Lakes. A +great Line of Railway communication would, on the other hand, be +naturally of some distance from the River, and in many instances carried +through the heart of the country, and thus serve as another main artery, +in which would circulate the wealth of the empire, and on each side of +which would be opened valuable land, on which settlers could locate +without being lost, or disheartened by the solitude of the wilderness. +Again, Lieut. Synge asks, "Is it not wonderful that no independent mail +route exists, to give the British Provinces the benefit of the +geographical position of Halifax. Is it not wonderful that there should +be no interprovincial means of rapid communication?" Such are the +questions of Lieut. Synge--and such questions, I trust, will soon be +answered by a Colonial Minister--that a new era will soon be open for +the Colonies--new life and energy be given to them. But time presses, +and I must here conclude, with again assuring Lieut. Synge of the +sincere pleasure with which I have read his pamphlet, and that I shall +make use of such extracts as can be hastily added, in the shape of +Notes, to my own Letter to the Author of the Clockmaker:--happy shall +I be if we agree-- + + "Sul campo della gloria noi pugneremo a lato: + Frema o sorrida il fato vicino a te staro, + La morte o la vittoria con te dividero." + + ROBERT CARMICHAEL-SMYTH. + + JUNIOR UNITED SERVICE CLUB, + _February 28, 1849._ + + + + + +NOTES. + + +(1) The writer of this letter, when returning from Halifax to England in +the spring of 1838, had the good fortune to take his passage in the same +government packet with the author of the Clockmaker, who was proceeding +to England with the second series of that work: and afterwards, when +paying a momentary visit to Halifax in the winter of 1844, he +experienced the high gratification of knowing, by the very kind +reception he met with, that he had not been forgotten neither, by his +Compagnons de voyage, Haliburton and Howe, nor by the other kind and +highly valued friends he had formerly made in that city. + + +(2) The history and particulars of this canal are well known at Halifax, +and Samuel P. Fairbanks, Esq. (Master of the Rolls at Nova Scotia) +brought to England with him in the Tyrian all the plans, maps, &c. +connected with that canal, and was, I believe, sent as a representative +of the parties connected with the work, in the hope that he might be +able to induce the government to advance sufficient money for its +completion. The fine large locks of this canal remain to tell the tale +of money sunk in an unfinished work. No encouragement certainly to canal +speculations. + + +(3) "The distance, as I make it, from Bristol to New York Lighthouse, is +3037 miles; from Bristol to Halifax Lighthouse is 2479; from Halifax +Light to New York Light is 522 miles, in all 3001 miles; 558 miles +shorter than New York Line, and even going to New York 36 miles shorter +to stop at Halifax, than go to New York direct."--So says the Clockmaker +in 1838. + + +(4) "Get your legislatur' to persuade Government to contract with the +Great Western folks to carry the mail, and drop it in their way to New +York; for you got as much and as good coal to Nova Scotia as England +has, and the steam boats would have to carry a supply of 550 miles less, +and could take in a stock at Halifax for the return voyage to Europe. If +ministers won't do that, get 'em to send steam packets of their own, and +you wouldn't be no longer an everlastin' outlandish country no more as +you be now. And, more than that, you wouldn't lose all the best +emigrants and all their capital."--_Clockmaker, 1838._ + + +(5) "The communication by steam between Nova Scotia and England will +form a new era in colonial history. It will draw closer the bonds of +affection between the two countries, afford a new and extended field +for English capital, and develope the resources of that valuable but +neglected province. Mr. Slick, with his usual vanity, claims the +honour of suggesting it, as well as the merit of having, by argument +and ridicule, reasoned and shamed the Government into its +adoption."--_Clockmaker, 1841._ + + +(6) "In the Duke of Kent the Nova Scotians lost a kind patron and a +generous friend. The loyalty of the people, which, when all America was +revolting, remained firm and unshaken, and the numerous proofs he +received of their attachment to their king and to himself, made an +impression upon his mind that was neither effaced nor weakened by time +or distance. Should these pages happily meet the eye of a colonial +minister, who has other objects in view than the security of place and +the interest of a party, may they remind him of a duty that has never +been performed but by the illustrious individual, whose former residence +among us gave rise to these reflections. This work is designed for the +cottage, and not for the palace; and the author has not the presumption +even to hope that it can ever be honoured by the perusal of his +sovereign. Had he any ground for anticipating such a distinction for it, +he would avail himself of this opportunity of mentioning that, in +addition to the dutiful affection the Nova Scotians have always borne to +their monarch, they feel a more lively interest in, and a more devoted +attachment to, the present occupant of the throne, from the circumstance +of the long and close connexion that subsisted between them and her +illustrious parent. He was their patron, benefactor and friend. To be a +Nova Scotian was of itself a sufficient passport to his notice, and to +posses merit a sufficient guarantee for his favour. Her Majesty reigns +therefore, in this little province, in the hearts of her subjects, a +dominion of love inherited from her father."--_Clockmaker, 1841._ + +"It can hardly be said that England has hitherto drawn any positive +advantages from the possession of these provinces, if we place out of +view the conveniences afforded during periods of war by the harbour +of Halifax. But the negative advantage from them are evident, if we +consider that the United Slates of America are greatly deficient in good +harbours on the Atlantic coast, while Nova Scotia possesses, in addition +to the magnificent harbour of Halifax, eleven ports, between it and Cape +Canso, with sufficient depth of water for the largest ships of +war."--_Clockmaker, 1841._ + + +(7) "The necessity which is gradually developing itself for steam fleets +in the Pacific, will open a mine of wealth to the inhabitants of the +West Coast of America."--_Rev. C. G. Nicolay, 1846._ + +The same author, in speaking of the principal features of the Iron Bound +Coast and Western Archipelago, in the centre of Vancouver's Island, the +Straits of Fuca and Puget's Inlet, says, "Its maritime importance is +entirely confined to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and southern extremity +of Vancouver's Island. Here are presented a series of harbours +unrivalled in quality and capacity, at least within the same limits; and +here, as has been remarked, it is evident the future emporium of the +Pacific, in West America will be found." And now that it has been +settled that this magnificent strait and its series of harbours (this +great emporium of West America) is open to that great and enterprising +nation, the people of the United States, as well as to ourselves, it +becomes most important to us that we should, and quickly, open the best +possible and shortest road to communicate with it. + +"Alexander Mackenzie, who had risen to the station of a partner in that +Company, and was even among them remarkable for his energy and activity +both of body and mind, having, with others of the leading partners, +imbibed very extensive views of the commercial importance and +capabilities of Canada, and considering that the discovery of a passage +by sea from the Atlantic to the Pacific would contribute greatly to +open, and enlarge it, undertook the task of exploring the country to the +north of the extreme point occupied by the fur traders."--_Rev. C. G. +Nicolay._ + +In 1794 this enterprising man ascended to the principal water of the +Mackenzie River, which he found to be a small lake situate in a deep +Snowy Valley embosomed in woody mountains; he crossed a beaten path +leading over a low ridge of land, of 817 paces in length, to another +lake, situated in a valley about a quarter of a mile wide, with +precipitous rocks on either side,--the head waters of the Frazers' +River. On the 19th of July, he arrived where the river discharges itself +into a narrow arm of the sea thus showing that a communication between +the west and east of North America was open to mankind. + + +(8) I regret I cannot say when exactly, nor where, his Grace gave his +opinion on this subject, and I regret this the more, because I cannot +give his Grace's exact words; but of the fact I have no doubt, and I +must only trust to your forbearance and memory when I cannot point to +the day and place. + + +(9) "Not long since a very general ignorance prevailed respecting the +Western Coast of North America, and no less general apathy."--_Rev. C. +G. Nicolay, 1846._ + + +(10) "Oh, Squire! if John Bull only knew the value of these colonies, he +would be a great man, I tell you,--but he don't."--_Clockmaker, 1838._ + +"We ought to be sensible of the patience and good feeling which the +people of Canada have shown in the most trying circumstances."-_Mr. +Labouchere, Debate on Navigation Laws._ + + +(11) "Considering all the natural and acquired advantages that we +possess for this purpose, it should rather create surprise and regret +that our commerce is so small, than engender pride because it is so +large." + +"We may conclude then that improvements in production and emigration of +capital to the more fertile soils and unworked mines of the uninhabited +or thinly peopled parts of the globe, do not, as it appears to a +superficial view, diminish the gross produce and the demand for labour +at home, but, on the contrary, are what we have chiefly to depend on for +the increasing both, and are even the necessary conditions of any great +or prolonged augmentations of either; nor is it any exaggeration to say, +that, within limits, the more capital a country like England expends in +these two ways, _the more she will have left_."--_J. S. Mill, Polit. +Econ._ + + +(12) For "a very large amount of capital belonging to individuals have, +of late years, sought profitable investment in other lands. It has been +computed, that the United States have, during the last five years, +absorbed in this manner more than L25,000,000 of English capital." And +how much more, it may be asked, has gone to the continent of Europe and +elsewhere? + +"When a few years have elapsed without a crisis, and no new and tempting +channel for investment has been opened in the meantime, there is always +found to have occurred, in these few years, so large an increase of +capital seeking investment, as to have lowered considerably the rate of +interest, whether indicated by the prices of securities, or by the rate +of discount on bills; and this diminution of interest tempts the +possessors to incur hazards, in hopes of a more considerable +return."--_Mill's Political Economy._ + + +(13) The Spectator has seriously remarked--"It is sometimes observed, +that although taxes have been remitted to the amount of millions, the +revenue has kept up; and that fact is vaunted as the vindication of free +trade: but one inference to be drawn from it has escaped notice--it +shows that the riches of the country must have increased enormously, and +it implies that many of the wealthy are escaping more and more from a +due share of the general burden, as taxation is diminished and wealth +increased." + +"Our exports have increased in value since 1824 from 38 millions to 68 +millions." + + +(14) "It will be found by the Parliamentary Tables, which all can +consult, that the amount of money raised in those eighteen years was +nearly 1500 millions. The total revenue raised in those years was more +than 981 millions; and the total of the money borrowed was more than 470 +millions; making, in all, 1451 millions. And it is worth while to note, +that, in one of those years, namely, in 1813, the sum of more than 150 +millions was raised in revenue and loan, of which nearly 82 millions was +loan for the national use; and this in a single year; and that year +1813, in the midst of a dreadful war, and thirty-five years ago;--since +when the country has grown much richer." + +"Now, dividing the sum of 1451 millions by eighteen years, it appears +that 80 millions a year was raised; and, taking the legitimate +expenditure of the country, during those eighteen years, at an average +of 45 millions a-year, a sum so high as to preclude all cavil, it +appears that the country raised and expended eighteen times the +difference between 45 and 80 millions, that is 630 millions; +notwithstanding which expenditure, let it be observed, the country _got +richer and richer_ every day."--_Bradshaw's Almanack, 1848._ + + +(15) "Our economical friends need not be alarmed;--we are not +going to propose a large addition to the military force of the +empire."--(_Times._) No:--but before it is reduced and its system +interfered with by those who understand not its working, we would +strongly recommend the perusal, first of the evidence of Sir Herbert +Taylor before the Finance Committee on this subject, and then that of +his Grace the Duke of Wellington, and we would ask the intelligent +public of Great Britain to reflect well before it allows her present +army to be trifled with. We firmly believe our army to be in as high a +state of discipline, and as ready "to go any where and do any thing," as +it was at the moment his Grace gave up in France the active command of +it. + +As to our Navy,--let those advocates for reduction go as my friend +Captain B----r wished they would,--to the top of the monument, and look +around at the forest of masts they will see of vessels coming from and +going to all parts of the world; then reflect for a moment on the power +required to defend all their interests; and (if they dare), [see Note +(63)] then come down and ask for reduction. + +We strongly recommend the perusal of the letter of Emeritus on this +subject in the _Times_ of the 5th February. + + +(16) "This vast power has penetrated the crust of the earth, and drawn +from beneath it boundless treasures of mineral wealth which without its +aid would have been rendered inaccessible. It has drawn up in numberless +quantity the fuel on which its own life and activity depend."--_Dr. +Lardner._ + + +(17) "It seems a provision of Providence to have formed different races +to bring about, by their crossing, an improved state of things. The +Teutonic variety is undoubtedly the most vigorous and able, both in body +and mind, of all the species of the genus of man that exist, and seems +destined to conquer and civilize the world. The Teutonic variety, in its +different sub-varieties, agree best with a temperate climate; it is, +however, capable of bearing a high degree of cold, but seems to prosper +best northward of 45 deg. of northern latitude. + +"Teutonic prevailing in Great Britain and part of Ireland, +22,000,000."--_Physical Atlas of Natural Phenomena._--_Alex. Keith +Johnson._ + +And it is very curious to observe, that, in the new world, the first +colony of Great Britain we reach after crossing the Atlantic is called +Nova Scotia; and the last land we should leave after crossing the +continent would be New Caledonia; and both in Nova Scotia and New +Caledonia (Vancouver's Island) nature seems to have placed great +deposits of coal, as if she there intended the industry of man and the +advancement of science to overcome all natural barriers between the +different nations of the earth. + + +(18) "A pint of water may be evaporated by two ounces of coal. In its +evaporation it swells into 216 gallons of steam, with a mechanical force +sufficient to raise a weight of thirty-seven tons a foot high. The steam +thus generated has a pressure equal to the common atmospheric air; and +by allowing it to expand by virtue of its elasticity, a further +mechanical force may be obtained at least equal in amount to the former. +A pint of water, therefore, and two ounces of common coal, are thus +rendered capable of doing as much work as is equivalent to seventy-four +tons raised a foot high." + +"The Menai Bridge consists of about 2000 tons of iron, and its height +above the level of the sea is 120 feet; its mass might be lifted from +the level of the water to its present position by the combustion of +four bushels of coal."--_Dr. Lardner._ + + +(19) "In addition to the instances of combination between directly +competing companies, recent experience has furnished numerous instances +of the tendency of smaller lines, sanctioned as independent +undertakings, to resign their independence into the hands of more +powerful neighbours."--_Report of Board of Trade._ It is not to be +doubted, therefore, that all proposed or partly finished Railways in the +North American provinces will readily join in the grand undertaking, +making one great interest for the whole. + +"The traffic of a system of lines, connected with one another, can +always be worked more economically and conveniently under one uniform +management than by independent Companies. The Company which works the +main trunk line, and possesses the principal terminal stations, can run +more frequent trains, and make better arrangements for forwarding the +traffic of the cross lines, than it could afford to do if two or three +separate establishments had to be maintained, and the harmony of +arrangements depended upon two or three independent authorities. + +"It is found also in practice, that unless a very close unity of +interest exists among the different portions of what really constitute +one great line of communication, it is scarcely possible to introduce +that harmony and accuracy of arrangement which are essential to ensure +speed and punctuality. Many important branches of traffic also are apt +to be neglected, which can only be properly developed where a long +consecutive line of Railway is united in one common interest. Coals and +heavy goods, for instance, can be conveyed for long distances with a +profit, at rates which would be altogether insufficient to remunerate a +Company which had only a run of ten or twenty miles: and thus many of +the most important benefits of Railways to the community at large can +only be obtained by uniting through-lines in one interest."--_Report of +Board of Trade on Railways. Sess. 1845._ + + +(20) "The two most expensive commodities in England are crime and +poverty; of these the most costly is poverty; and the extent of poverty, +by its sufferings, vastly increases the amount of crime. You have heard +the expenses of poverty. The cost of crime in England and her penal +establishments exceeds a million and a half."--_Speech of Francis Scott, +Esq. M.P._ + + +(21) "The circumstance which must first strike any person as +extraordinary, in regard to the expatriation of criminals from this +country, is the choice of the station to which they have been sent. That +a country which, like England, is possessed of an almost boundless +tract of unsettled fertile land within four weeks' sail of her own +shores, should, in preference, send her criminals to a territory which +cannot be reached in less than as many months, thus multiplying the +expense of their conveyance, is a course which requires for its +justification some better reasons than have ever yet been brought +forward."--_A. R. Porter, Esq., Progress of the Nation._ This system +has, we believe, come to a close, and Gibraltar and other places fixed +upon; (some in Great Britain); but her convicts ought not to be employed +at home if it can be avoided, as they of course perform the work that +would be performed by the labourers of the country, many of whom are +thus thrown out of work. + +Since the year 1824, a considerable establishment of convicts has been +kept up in Bermuda, employed in constructing a breakwater and in +perfecting some fortifications at Ireland's Eye. The number at present +(1836) so maintained is about 1000. + + +(22) And why should not English convicts be sent to work in the Rocky +Mountains? We all know that the highest peak of Great St. Bernard is +11,005 feet above the level of the sea, and is covered with perpetual +snow. Between the two main summits runs one of the principal passages +from Switzerland to Italy, _which continues open all winter_. On the +most elevated point of this passage is a monastery and hospital, founded +in the tenth century by Bernard de Monthon. The French army, under +Bonaparte, crossed this mountain with its artillery and baggage in the +year 1800; and here Bonaparte caused a monument to be erected to the +memory of General Desaix, who fell in the battle of Marengo. If, then, a +monastery and hospital have been established since the tenth century, +and are still to be found in the old world at such an elevation, and in +such a climate, what objection can there be to the establishment of a +convict post, under similar circumstances, to open an important road in +the new world? We have seen that Sir George Simpson crossed the Rocky +Mountains at a height of 8000 feet, but lower passes may yet be found. +At all events our soldiers are exposed to every diversity of climate and +every hardship; and we see no reason why healthy and powerful criminals +should be more cared for. It was also suggested in 1836--"The gangs +might be moved to other and more distant spots, and employed in similar +works of utility, and in this way would relieve emigrants from many of +the hardships and difficulties which they are now doomed to encounter at +the commencement of their settlement."--_A. R. Porter, Esq._ + + +(23) "It would indeed be a heart-sickening prospect if, in looking +forward to the continued progress of our country, in its economical +relations, we must also contemplate the still greater multiplication of +her 'criminals'. Still we fear that, for a long time at least, we shall +have of them a large proportion, and that arrangements must be made for +their employment. What we have already stated prove that there is no +decrease as yet." + +One of our periodicals observes--"We have no hope that a class of +criminals will ever cease to exist in this country, and it will always +therefore be a question, what is to be done with them?.... There are +certain conditions directly _essential_ to every successful effort for +the repression of crime; the legislature should see that the penal code, +while as merciful as a reasonable philanthropy can demand, should yet be +severe enough to be truly merciful--merciful, that is, to the entire +community." + + +(24) "The flight of a quarter of a million of inhabitants of these +islands to distant quarters of the globe, in 1847, was one of the most +marvellous events in the annals of human migration. It is nevertheless a +fact, that the migration of this year is nearly equal to that of the +last."--(_The Times, 1848._) + +"Nor is there any reason to believe that 1849 will witness a diminution +in the rate at which this extraordinary process of depletion is going +forward; on the contrary, there is every symptom of its probable +acceleration."--(_Morning Chronicle, 1849, on Irish Emigration._) + + +(25) A few extracts concerning them will be interesting. "The chain of +the Rocky Mountains, after being considerably depressed in latitude 46 deg. +and 48 deg., attains a much higher elevation from latitude 48 deg. to 49 deg., and, +continuing in a westerly direction, it separates the affluents of the +Saskatchewan and M'Kenkie from those of Columbia or Oregon and other +rivers which flow into the Pacific. These mountains appear to decrease +again from about 58 deg. to 62 deg. northern latitude, where probably they do +not exceed 4000 feet in height; and, still further north, are estimated +at less than 2000 feet, between the latitudes of 42 deg. and 58 deg. north. +Several peaks rise far above the snow line. + +"Wherever the head waters of the rivers, on the east and west sides of +the Rocky Mountains, approach nearest each other, there have been found +passes through them. Of these, perhaps the most important is the south +pass. Between Mount Brown and Mount Hooker, in latitude 52 1/2, another +very important pass, offering great facility of communication between +the Oregon and Canada, by the waters of the Columbia and the north +branches of the Saskatchewan, which, flowing into Lake Winnipeg, gives +easy access to Hudson's Bay and the great lakes. + +"Among the most awful features of mountain scenery lies the great +northern outlet of the territory, resembling the southern in many of +its features, with even more sublimity of character, but especially in +having the sources of several great rivers within a very short distance +of each other. Here are the head waters of the Athabasca and north +tributaries of the Saskatchewan, which falls into Lake Winnipeg; and on +the east the northern waters of the Columbia, and the eastern branch of +Frazer's River, near a deep cliff in the mountains, which has been +called by British traders the Committee's Punch Bowl."--_Rev. C. G. +Nicolay._ + +The first who penetrated the Rocky Mountains was Sir Alexander +Mackenzie, then in the service of the North-West Company. In the year +1793 he crossed them in about latitude 54 deg., discovered Frazer's +River,[A] descended it for about 250 miles, then struck off in a +westerly direction, and reached the Pacific in latitude 52 deg. 20'. In 1808 +Mr. Frazer, also under the orders of the North-Western Company, crossed +the Rocky Mountains and established a trading post on Frazer's River, +about latitude 54 deg.; and in 1811 Mr. Thompson, also an agent of that +company, discovered the northern head waters of the Columbia, about +latitude 52 deg., and erected some huts on its banks. + + [A] Frazer's River has its embouche six miles to the north + of the 49th parallel, which defines the United States boundary. It is + a mile wide. The country around is low, with a rich alluvial soil. + + Fort Langley is twenty miles from its mouth. + + Sir George Simpson made a journey of 2000 miles in forty-seven days, + from the Red River, via Fort Edrington, to Fort Columbia, in 1841; he + crossed the Rocky Mountains, at the confluence of two of the sources + of Saskatchewan and Columbia, at an elevation of 8000 feet above the + level of the sea. + + +(26) Little, perhaps, did Mr. Pitt suspect the time was to be so near, +when that country he had loved so well and served so nobly, would be +able to send any quantity of artillery by the mail; and that not eight +or ten hours would be required, but hardly three. Would that he was +amongst us now. What could England not hope for, or expect to see +realized, in her advanced condition, if directed by such a mind as his. + + +(27) "It is about 900 miles in length by 600 at its greatest breadth, +with a surrounding coast of 3000 miles, between the parallels of 61 deg. and +65 deg. north latitude. The coasts are generally high, rocky, rugged and +sometimes precipitous. The bay is navigable for a few months in summer, +but for the greater part of the remainder of the year is filled up with +fields of ice. The navigation, when open, is extremely dangerous, as it +contains many shoals, rocks, sandbanks and islands; even during the +summer icebergs are seen in the straits, towards which a ship is drifted +by a squall or current, rendering it very hazardous for the most skilful +seaman. The transitions of the thermometer are from 100 deg. to 40 deg. in two +days, and the torrents of rain are surprising. Whether in winter or +summer the climate is horrible. The range of the thermometer throughout +the year is 140 degrees. The sea is entered by Hudson's Strait, which is +about 500 miles long, with a varying breadth and with an intricate +navigation."--_Montgomery Martin, Esq._ + + +(28) "The settlement on the Red River, distant from Montreal by the +Ottawah River about 1800 miles in lat. 50 deg. north, lon. 97 deg. west, is +elevated 800 feet above the level of the sea, contiguous to the border +of the Red and Asinibourn Rivers, along which the settlement extends +for fifty miles. The soil is comparatively fertile, and the climate +salubrious; but summer frosts, generated by undrained marshes, sometimes +blast the hopes of the husbandman. The Hudson's Bay Company by the +introduction, at a great expense, of rams and other stock, have improved +the breed of domestic animals, which are now abundant. Wheat, barley, +oats, maize, potatoes and hops thrive; flax and hemp are poor and +stinted. The river banks are cultivated for half a mile inland, but the +back level country remains in its natural state, and furnishes a coarse +hay for the long and severe winter which lasts from November to April, +when the Lake Winnipeg is unfrozen and the river navigation +commences--via Norway house entrepot--at the north extremity of the +lake. The population is in number about 6000, consisting of Europeans, +half-breeds and Indians. The two principal churches, the Protestant and +Roman Catholic, the gaol, the Hudson's Bay Company's chief building, the +residence of the Roman Catholic bishop, and the houses of some of the +retired officers of the fur trade, are built of stone, which has to be +brought from a distance; but the houses of the settlers are built of +wood. A great abundance of English goods is imported, both by the +Hudson's Bay Company and by individuals in the company's ships, to York +factory, and disposed of in the colony at moderate prices. There are +fifteen wind and three water mills to grind the wheat and prepare the +malt for the settlers. The Hudson's Bay Company have long endeavoured, +by rewards and arguments, to excite an exportation of tallow, hides, +wool, &c. to England, but the bulky nature of the exports, the long and +dangerous navigation of the Hudson's Bay, and the habits of the +half-bred race, who form the mass of the people and generally prefer +chasing the buffalo to agriculture or regular industry, have rendered +their efforts ineffectual."--_Montgomery Martin, Esq._ + + +(29) "It is true there is another communication via Montreal, but the +country in that direction is not of such a nature as to admit of +introducing the rollers or the waggons upon the portages."--_Bishop +of Montreal._ + + +(30) Mackenzie says, "There is not perhaps a finer country in the world +for the residence of uncivilized man, than that which occupies the shore +between the Red River and Lake Superior; fish, various fowl and wild +rice are in great plenty: the fruits are, strawberries, plums, cherries, +gooseberries, &c. &c." + + +(31) "Of this profitable trade the citizens of the United States possess +at present all but a monopoly. Their whaling fleet consists of 675 +vessels, most of them 400 tons burden, and amounting in all to 100,000 +tons. The majority of them cruise in the Pacific. It requires between +15,000 and 16,000 men to man them. Their value is estimated at +25,000,000 dollars, yielding an annual return of 5,000,000 or 20 per +cent. The quantity of oil imported is about 400,000 barrels, of which +one-half is sperm. When we add to this profitable occupation for many +persons--the value of the domestic produce consumed by them--and the +benefit that is thus conferred upon both agricultural and manufacturing +interests--the importance of this branch of business will appear greatly +enhanced. The whaling fleet of England and her Colonies may be +considered as not exceeding at present 150; about twenty whales are +killed annually in the straits of Juan de Fuca--besides the whale +fishery on the banks and coast is important--cod, halibut and herring +are found in profusion, and sturgeon near the shore and mouths of the +rivers. Already the salmon fishery affords not only a supply for home +consumption, but is an article of commerce, being sent to the Sandwich +Islands. They are also supplied to the Russian settlements according to +contract. The coast swarms with amphibious animals of the seal kind, +known by the vulgar names of Sea Lion, Sea Elephant and Sea Cow--but +above all with the common seal. The traffic to be derived from these in +skins, oil, &c. could not but be lucrative."--_Rev. C. G. Nicolay._ + + +(32) We are quite aware that the American Lines are made at a much +cheaper rate, but we are here advocating a grand permanent link of +connexion with Great Britain and all her Colonies and dominions--and +however cheaply the Line may be opened, we must not deceive ourselves, +but look to a proportional outlay to the greatness of the undertaking. +It is in its results and consequences that we look forward to the great +benefit and financial return to Great Britain and to her people, both +abroad and at home. + + +(33) It is curious to observe, that in 1822 the Americans themselves +fought the battle of England with Russia. The extravagant claims of +dominion over the Northern Pacific Ocean and the North-West Coast of +America, which Russia proclaimed at St. Petersburgh on the 9th +October,--"It is not permitted to any but Russian subjects to +participate in the whale or other fishery, or any branch of industry +whatever, in the islands, ports and gulfs, and in general along the +coast of the North-Western America, from Behring's Strait to 51 deg. north +latitude"--were not passed unheeded by the British Ministry of the day, +and it was communicated to the Court of St. Petersburgh that England +could not submit to such usurpation. The result of these representations +were not imparted to the public; but when these pretensions were made +known at Washington by the Russian Minister, the American functionaries +protested against them with so much vehemence that it was likely to +endanger the amicable relations of Russia and the United States--thus +fighting the battle of England as it has since proved. In December, +1823, a treaty was entered into at Washington between Russia, the United +States and England on this subject, and the Russians retired farther +north than 55 deg.. + +The Marquis of Londonderry was Secretary of State for foreign affairs up +to August, 1822, and Mr. Canning succeeded him; and to the watchful care +of these two eminent statesmen it may be owing that Russia and the +United States did not divide the coast and territory between them. + + +(34) See Sir Peter Laurie's description of prisons. + + +(35) In spite of so large a portion of the French population being +agricultural, i.e. belonging to that calling in life which developes +muscular strength and activity--in spite of that proportion being on the +increase as compared with the rest of the inhabitants, it is proved that +the number of recruits rejected as unfit for the military service from +deficient stature, health and strength, is slowly, surely and constantly +on the increase, 40 per cent. are turned back from this cause, and yet +the required height is only 5 feet 2 inches. + + +(36) Several companies have, I believe, been formed for the working of +these mines, and the shares, I have heard, were one time rather high. +The ore, however, is at present sent chiefly to Boston. The opening of +the proposed Line of Railway would no doubt cause a great quantity +of it to be sent to Montreal or Quebec and there shipped for +England,--enabling the colonies, therefore, to take a greater +quantity of our manufactured goods. + +Lake Superior.--"Copper abounds in various parts of the country; in +particular some large and brilliant specimens have been found in the +angle between Lake Superior and Michigan. Henry and others speak +of a rock of pure copper, from which he cut off 100 pounds +weight."--_Montgomery Martin, Esq._ + + +(37) It is true that Montgomery Martin, in 1834, says, "and if Railroads +do not take the place of canals, I have no doubt the greater part of +Upper Canada will in a few years be intersected with canals. I recommend +the latter to the Canadians in preference to Railroads, as by their +means the country will be drained, rendered more fertile and _more_ +healthy." + +Since that time several canals have been finished, and I have no doubt, +as the country becomes more populous, others may be undertaken for the +purposes of drainage and internal communications; but my own personal +knowledge has satisfied me that Railroads would be far more useful and +a far more ultimate benefit, for there is no doubt that the waters of +Canada have a general inclination to subside. Mr. Martin himself says, +that "the Lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior, have evidently been at one +time considerably higher than they are at the present day;" and although +Mr. Martin considers the subsidence of these waters has not been +effected by slow drainage, but by repeated destruction of barriers, +still the fact shows that the waters are subsiding. + +Be this all as it may, I do not think that even Mr. Montgomery Martin +himself would suggest a communication by canals from the Atlantic to the +Pacific, as well might he recommend a man to travel by a slow heavy +coach when a light quick one could be procured; and thus we dismiss the +subject of canals. + + +(38) To encourage this Steam Company, who have so nobly performed their +task, Government granted, I believe, L52,000 a year. + + +(39) Such, for instance, as the carrying letters for a penny, and +removing such taxes as bear particularly heavy upon the poor. + + +(40) The Governor-General, in his opening address to the parliament of +the province of Canada on the 18th January, 1849, says--"The officers +employed in exploring the country between Quebec and Halifax, with the +view of discovering the best line for a Railway to connect these two +points, have presented a report which contains much valuable +information, and sets forth in a strong light the advantages of the +proposed undertaking. I shall lay it before you, together with a +dispatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, expressive of the +interest taken by her Majesty's Government in the execution of this +great work." + + +(41) See Mr. Charles Pearson's Speech on this subject. + + +(42) The feeling of loyalty becomes so natural to soldiers after a few +years service, that it remains impressed upon their hearts in general +for the rest of their lives. + + +(43) "So great is the fertility of the soil of Canada, that fifty +bushels of wheat per acre are frequently produced on a farm where the +stumps of the trees, which probably occupy an eighth of the surface, +have not been eradicated; some instances of eighty bushels per acre +occur; near York (now Toronto) in Upper Canada 100 bushels were obtained +from a single acre. In some districts wheat has been raised successively +on the same ground for twenty years without manure."--_Montgomery +Martin._ + + +(44) A return of the public money expended in Arctic expeditions was +called for. It appears that since the peace, or from the year 1815 to +the present, L428,782 have been expended in Arctic expeditions. + + +(45) Mr. Alderman Sydney said--"that convicts had ceased to be sent to +Norfolk Island or New South Wales for a considerable time, and he +understood that Lord Grey had been influenced on the question by the +perusal of a pamphlet which abounded with information of a most +convincing character."--_Times._ + + +(46) Yes! to the value of its resources we now seem indeed to be +awakened. Earl Grey, in his despatch (dated 17th November, 1848,) to +Lieutenant-General Sir John Harvey, Lieutenant-Governor of Halifax, says +(after speaking of the final Report of Major Robinson on the formation +of the Halifax and Quebec Railway)--"I have perused this able document +with the interest and attention it so well merits; and I have to convey +to you the assurance of Her Majesty's Government that we fully +appreciate the importance of the proposed undertaking, and entertain no +doubt of the great advantages that would result not only to the +provinces interested in the work, but to the empire at large, from the +construction of such a Railway." Again, his Lordship speaks of this +Railway as "a great national line of communication," and yet on the 4th +August, 1848, was issued the following letter from the Treasury +Chambers:-- + +"Sir,--With reference to your letter of the 18th ult. relative to the +expenses incurred in the survey of the proposed Line of Railroad between +Halifax and Quebec, I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her +Majesty's Treasury to request that you will move Earl Grey to instruct +the several officers in charge of the Governments of Canada, Nova +Scotia, and New Brunswick, to cause the proportion of the Railroad +survey expenses to be defrayed by each province, to be paid into the +commissariat chests on the respective stations. + + "I have, &c. + (Signed) C. E. TREVELYAN." + "H. Merivale, Esq., &c. &c." + + +(47) "We cannot afford to spend L50 a year on a convict at home: let him +be sent to a colony where his labour is absolutely necessary, and where, +though by his good conduct and his industry he may finally attain a +decent subsistence, yet where he will be unable to acquire affluence, +and which he will be prevented from leaving for a happier or a richer +shore: this will be punishment without sentimentalism, and without +vindictiveness."--_The Times_, 19th February, 1849. + +"As it is obvious that we must either retain our convicts at home +or send them abroad, and the latter can only be accomplished by +transportation to a colony, it is obvious (especially after the results +of the last experiments) that we must either found a new colony, as in +1783, or adopt the French system, which has nothing certainly to +recommend it."--_Globe_, 17th February, 1849. + + +(48) Lieutenant Synge has observed: "The necessity of protecting +works further in the interior against hostile tribes of Indians is a +formidable impediment to their successful prosecution at present." How +easily would this impediment be removed by paying these Indians with +guns, blankets, &c., and employing them to guard the convicts and the +works. + + +(49) "The hostility of the Indians overcome, (or what for the present +would more effectually restrain England's advance, the possibility of +their sufferings being increased by the progress of civilization,) the +passage of the Rocky Mountains may rather prove a stimulant, as it will +be the last remaining obstacle, and, attention being called to the +subject, may urge to exertion the talents of such men as have elsewhere +conquered every natural difficulty, however formidable."--_Lieutenant +Synge_, "_Canada in 1848_." + + +(50) "More especially the very great opportunities afforded by the +cessation of convict labour in our Australian colonies should not be +overlooked. The great present pressure in these colonies, in consequence +of the want of such labour, should be removed in connection with the +relief and profitable employment of portions of our surplus home +population."--_Same Author._ + + +(51) "To derive from these measures the chiefest benefits they may +confer, the work must be executed under the superintendence of the +Imperial Government."--_Same Author._ + + +(52) "Great as is our civilization and intelligence, compared with the +empires of former days, we have no right to think that the goal of +prosperity and glory is attained. England has by no means reached the +zenith of earthly power; science is as yet but in its infancy; the human +mind has scarcely arrived at adolescence; and, for aught we imperfect +beings know, this little island may be destined by Divine Providence to +continue as a light unto the heathen--as a nucleus for the final +civilization of man."--_Preface to "Taxation of the British Empire," +published in 1833._ + + +(53) This of course would only be a temporary arrangement previous to +their being sent to distant parts. + + +(54) "So long however as the empire's heart is overburdened by a surplus +multitude, it should be remembered that most fertile and lovely tracts +of country, many times larger than England, exist in the body of that +empire, which never yet within the knowledge of man have yielded their +fruits to his service. A manifold-multiplied value also is given to +every part of the connected communication between it and the Atlantic, +and thereby also to every part of British America, when once the goal of +the Pacific is attained."--_Lieut. Synge._ + + +(55) An officer whose character stands high both in the navy and in the +army--whose talents have long been exercised in the North American +Colonies--who is acquainted with their value, and who well understands +their naval and military defences. + +The writer of this letter sailed from Cork on board H. M. frigate Pique, +in January, 1838, with a wing of the 93rd Highlanders, under the command +of Lieutenant-Colonel Macgregor, and he is happy in having this +opportunity of publicly thanking Captain Boxer, the officers and crew of +the Pique, for the great kindness received by every individual of the +regiment. And he cannot do otherwise than refer particularly to the +officers of the gun-room, who must have been exceedingly inconvenienced +by having a large party of officers joined to their mess, and who yet +had the tact and politeness to show they never felt it. It was a long +and stormy passage of six weeks from Cork to Halifax, but it was a happy +and a merry one; although a damp was at first thrown over us by the +sudden death from accident of a serjeant of the Light Company, and +another poor fellow was washed away from the chains during the passage. + + +(56) "We have now enjoyed more than thirty years peace, and when it was +proposed to invest the Capital, which we could so readily throw away on +arms and gunpowder, upon actually productive works, the cry was raised +of impending ruin and bankruptcy. The lodging of deposits with the +Accountant-General was to result in 'ruinous, universal and desperate +confusion.' The money was lodged, and no ruinous confusion took place. +The Acts were obtained, and ruin was again predicted; 'where was all the +money to come from?' The money has been got, L112,100,639 has been +raised in the course of three years, involving, it is true, much +suffering to some classes, but not to the nation at large."--_S. Smiles +on Railway Property._ + + +(57) If once it was understood by the public that Government had taken +the initiative, and was determined to assist and see carried out a great +national work such as has been suggested, there is no doubt that many +people who are now paying high poor rates would join together, and a +variety of small Emigration Companies would be formed to assist poor +people to emigrate, and these poor people would willingly and cheerfully +quit their native land, when they had before them the certain prospect +of immediate employment; and if the penny postage was added to the +system, they would be nearer to England in the North American Colonies, +than the poor people of England and Scotland were to each other only a +few years back. + + +(58) "Four hundred millions of people yet to be introduced into +communication with the rest of mankind! What a prospect for the +merchant, the manufacturer and ship owner. But there is still a higher +and holier prospect. Four hundred millions of active and intelligent +human beings have to be brought within the pale of Christianity! Wary +stepping, too, it will require to enable us to succeed in realizing +either of these objects. To assist us, an abler man for the task could +not be found than the author of the work before us."--_Liverpool +Standard_, _Review on Montgomery Martin's recent Work on China_. + + +(59) "Nobody can doubt that the western coast of North America is about +to become the theatre of vast commercial and political transactions, and +it is impossible to estimate adequately the value which may soon accrue +to every harbour, coal mine, forest and plain in that quarter of the +globe."--_Morning Chronicle, 15th Feb. 1849._ + + +(60) On which Line the mails could travel from Halifax to Frazer's River +in six days, and the electric telegraph connect these oceans--space +vanishing under that magic power. + + +(61) See Montgomery Martin's second edition on Railways, Past, Present +and Prospective. + + +(62) There is not an individual of the 93rd Highlanders, so long +quartered in the highly flourishing city of Toronto, who would not, I +feel well assured, join me in every grateful feeling to its inhabitants, +and every wish for their happiness and welfare. + +A great number of the men of the 93rd have settled at and in the +neighbourhood of Toronto. + + +(63) "The British 'supremacy of the ocean,' which has been a boast and a +benefit, has become a necessity. If I were Prime Minister of England, +now that the Corn Laws are repealed, I should not be able to sleep if I +thought that the war marine of England was not stronger than all the +nations combined, which there is the least chance of ever being engaged +in a conspiracy for our destruction."--_Edward Gibbon Wakefield._ + + +(64) "Canada, which receives the greater number of emigrants, we are by +all accounts only peopling and enriching for the Americans to possess +ere long."--_Art of Colonization_, _Edward Gibbon Wakefield_. + +I trust that the British North American Colonies will, in reply to the +above remark, send forth such a voice of attachment to their mother +country that will encourage her people at home and embolden them to come +forward in aid of great colonial measures, resulting as they must do in +universal benefit to the empire. + +In page 100 of the work just above quoted we read--"The Banker's +argument satisfied me; but he was not aware of a peculiarity of +colonies, as distinguished from dependencies in general, which furnishes +another reason for wishing that they should belong to the empire--I mean +the attachment of the colonies to their mother country.... I have often +been unable to help smiling at the exhibition of it. In what it +originates I cannot say." + +I cannot but deeply regret the use of these expressions, coming as they +do from the pen of so influential an author. Has be forgotten or does he +not feel that + + "Coelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt?" + +And surely from those who left their native land, carrying with them the +literature of the day and the remembrance of her glory, it was not +likely that there should spring up a generation otherwise than strongly +attached to + + "_That_ fortress built by Nature for herself, + Against infection and the hand of War?" + +Well, indeed, has Lieutenant Synge remarked, "Let it also be remembered +by those who would argue the defection of Canada, or other British +provinces, from the history of the past, what were the circumstances +attending the last revolt (and only one) of British Colonies." + +"Let the regret with which those colonies revolted be also borne in +mind! Generations have succeeded, yet in the hearts of many of the best +and noblest that lingering regret remains; not that the revolt took +place, not that it was successful, but that it was rendered necessary." +I shall only add, I agree most perfectly with the author on the Art of +colonization when he says, "But whatever may be its cause, I have no +doubt that the love of England is the ruling sentiment of English +Colonies." + + +(65) "The Americans would have readily agreed with us upon this boundary +question, when it was of no practical moment."--_Edward Gibbon +Wakefield._ + +This assertion requires proof. + + +(66) My friend Lieutenant-Colonel Pottinger has brought to my notice, +that the time of transit from London to the west coast of Ireland will +be nearly as follow, vis. + + To Holyhead 8 hours + Holyhead to Dublin 4 " + Dublin to the west coast of Ireland 4 " + --- + In all 16 + +It may therefore be worthy of consideration whether there could be +established at one of her ports on the western coast, so often spoken of +as the nearest point of embarkation for British America, an Emigration +Company, which would greatly benefit Ireland by causing a large traffic +through the centre of that country. + + +(67) Dr. Hind, in speaking of the convict Colony of New South Wales, +says--"If then the question be, what can be done for this Colony? +Begin, I said, by breaking up the system--begin by removing all the +unemancipated convicts. I do not undertake to point out the best mode of +disposing of them; but let them be brought home and disposed of in any +way rather than remain. There is no chance for the Colony until this +preliminary step be taken. But these measures, if carried into effect at +all, must be taken in hand soon. Time--no distant time, perhaps, may +place this 'foul disnatured' progeny of ours out of our power for good +or for harm." + + Printed by W. P. Metchim, 20, Parliament Street. + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + +1) Text has been adjusted to eliminate notes within notes, +particularly Notes 15 and 43. Certain notes have been inserted +into the main text to eliminate duplicated note numbers. + +2) Footnotes redirecting to Notes have been condensed to link +directly with Note, eg: + + Original text: + text text text[1] + + [1]See Appendix, Note 65. + + (65) text text text text text text + + Transcribed text: + text text text[see Note 65] + + (65) text text text text text text + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Letter from Major Robert +Carmichael-Smyth to His Friend, the Author of 'The Clockmaker', by Robert Carmichael-Smyth + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBERT CARMICHAEL-SMYTH *** + +***** This file should be named 25075.txt or 25075.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/0/7/25075/ + +Produced by Adrian Mastronardi, The Philatelic Digital +Library Project at http://www.tpdlp.net, Anne Storer and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned +images of public domain material from the Google Print +project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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